Her END
by RosarioSecrets
Summary: Lucy Heartfilla manages to escape a tragic past with the help of her late mother's celestial spirits. With E.N.D and Tartaros hunting after her, Will she able to continue running from the horrors? Or will she face them head on? A Nalu Story.
1. Prologue: A Mourning Star

**AN: To start this off, this is my first attempt on writing a fan fiction story. i welcome all criticism! Secondly, this is based on an alternate version of Fairy Tail, solely on E.N.D existing first. Thirdly, All Fairy Tail Related Material belongs to its respectful owner; Hiro Mashima. The only thing i have in my name is the story plot. That's it...okay? OK...good. Lastly, i will probably update the story once or twice a week, depending on how this goes. Now i know this is somewhat of a NALU story but, it wont be all fluffy and cute the whole time, it'll have its dark turns. I hope you guys enjoy it anyway. Onto the story!**

\- Prologue-

 _It was that night when it all happened, the skies clouded with sadness and a fiery smoke. In the distance, a once large and beautiful mansion was now covered in dark flames and soot. The paint completely burnt off, debris lying everywhere and the flames consuming whatever it touches. Watching from afar, a shadowed figure stands on a tall hill that was overlooking the burning site. It takes a deep breath and grins marvelously at the creation it made._

" My lord..." a hooded figure comes into view and bows, " ...the task is nearly complete. We're still looking for the remaining two humans lingering inside"

The shadowed figure continues to stare at the dancing, dark flames.

"Find them soon ", he replies almost like a snarl. He jumps over the hill to the ground below him.

The light from the fire barely illuminates the area but it was enough to show the devilish grin he made under his hood. It soon jumps off the hill as well to continue the search. The lord walks casually into the burning inferno, admiring the view.

"They only have so many places to hide..." he chuckles to himself. It smashes down the broken doors in his way, now entering the dark, smoke filled mansion.  
" come out, come out where ever you are, silly humans", then takes off slowly into the dark halls.

 _Inside the blazing mansion;_

Two blonde women were running, one was older in a fine gown, while the other was a small girl in a tiny dress. They shuffled quickly behind a doorway inside the library, the older woman turns around making sure noone was around before closing the door shut tightly behind.

"Open, Gate of the Lion, Leo!" the older women chants quietly. A bright flash of golden light appears, illuminating the small room before dimming out. A tall man with orange, unruly hair emerges from the dimmed light. Wearing dark glasses and a suit, he bows at the women.

" Good evening, M'lady" he says elegantly, " how may i be of service?"

The older blonde turns to look at her daughter then back at Leo, " Leo, i need you to look after my precious daughter ". She quickly turns to look at her girl when she saw her burying into the mothers gown. Quietly sobbing, the woman picks her up and hugs her close."Lucy, my dear. Don't cry, look at me ", she quietly shushes the girl, bouncing her on her lap. Lucy turns her head to look at her mother, tears staining her large brown eyes. She sniffles before nodding at her mother.

"I'm scared mommy, where's daddy?" Lucy mumbles between quivering sobs.

"Do not worry, mommy is here for you and so is uncle Leo ". Taking one last squeeze, she hands her over to the lion spirit. The small girl clutches onto his jacket tightly, completely unaware of whats about to happen. Leo holds the small girl in his arms tightly, as he eyes the woman in front of him slowly walking back to the door.

"Layla, there isn't much time. We have to move now if we are to get out of here quickly and safely". The lion spirit eyes the window and back at his master. Layla shows a small smile escape her lips as she watches her last moments of her crying daughter.

"I'm aware of that Leo". Her head hangs as her chest tightens from the pain and guilt from her final decision she is about to make. A tear escapes her eye as she looks at the sight of her daughter and the lion spirit. Leo stiffens, only taking a moment before putting the pieces together in his head.

"Layla, you can't be serious! I'm not leaving here without you!" He grits his teeth before seeing the girl in his arms turn her face towards her mother, watching. Layla tilts her head, her smile faltering.

"You will do exactly that, Leo. It is your duty to follow my orders to the letter, is it not?"

Leo fumes quietly, not daring to talk back. However, he didn't like or agree with any bit of her decision but, he knew he had no choice but to obey. Lucy sniffles and holds out her small arm towards her mother.

"Momma?" Layla glances at her daughter, smiling halfheartedly, "be strong Lucy, be strong for your mother and Leo". She turns her gaze back at the lion spirit, " My final request Leo, Please take care of my family".

Layla turns and unlocks the door, closing it behind her without another glance. Lucy tries wiggling and fighting out of Leo's arms, "Momma! Where are you going?! Momma!" the girl's voice raises, screaming as it echos throughout the dark room. Leo balls his fists again as a tear escapes his eye. He takes a deep breath and holds Lucy closer into his arms before glancing at the large, doubled windows. He knew what he had to do now, as he slowly made his way over.

"Forgive me, Lucy". He looks down outside after opening the windows. " what a drop... " he mumbles quietly, assessing the situation. Taking a deep breath, "Hold on princess!"

He jumps out carefully, holding Lucy tightly. The smoke begins to fill his lungs as he falls. Landing gracefully on his feet, he takes one last look at the burning mansion that was once their home. His brow furrows before looking at the forest ahead of them. There was a small clearing through the debris and he rushes in that direction, without another look back at the horrors he left behind.

Layla carefully walks quickly down the dark halls, avoiding the splintered, burnt wood. Fires exploding everywhere, shaking the walls as smoke fills the cracks. She hugs the window side of the long corridors before stopping and looking up. Tears continue to escape from her unwilling eyes, unable to accept the fate of her family. Her once comfortable, peaceful sanctuary she called home, was now a fiery nightmare. Layla only saw glimpses of her husband leaving before them, telling her to find a place to hide. Sudden loud creaks of wood echo in the area. Layla looks up as she notices grit falling down from above her. She steps back quickly when the ceiling cracks and crashes down in front of her. A shadowed figure jumps down with it. Layla coughs from the sudden burst of smoke and pieces of debris begin filling the area. She squints ahead, as the pale moonlight reflects onto the figure. It was smiling. Her eyes widen as she takes in the red scales covering the mans cheeks, horns covering both sides of his head. He was wearing a dark cloak, but she can tell he was tall and well built on the shoulders. He still somewhat resembled half human, his head was shadowed but can still make out the dark salmon-pink hair, messily covering his head and loosely covering parts of the eyes. Their gaze met and she heard him growl lowly. Her breathing spikes as she realized who exactly was standing in front of her. Slowly taking a few steps back as his dark eyes bore into hers. Layla's feet trips over a wooden plank and her back hits a wall behind her. She lifts her self back up before her hand starts to cover her mouth unconsciously.

"E.N.D" she breathes to herself. Layla only heard about the demon books but to see this one, out of all of them, stand before her. She bites her lip and winces. From this point on, Layla knew her fate was sealed. There was no going back. He laughs with amusement, watching and feeling the fear radiate off this woman. He extends an arm out and bows in a mocking manner at her.

"It's a pleasure finally meeting you, Layla Heartfilla". His voice filled with delight. She scroffs at him before turning her gaze away. He grins and takes a look at the moon outside, "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" Returning his gaze back at the woman before slowly making his way over to her in a few long strides. She starts mumbling inaudible thoughts out loud but, his incredible hearing picked up a few lines.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy, forgive your mother.." A hand slams onto the wall next to her head. She gazes up at the demon staring at her, his eyes were filled with amusement. Layla glares back at him with all her anger poured into it. He leans in closer to her, feeling his breath reach her ears.

"Any last words for your daughter, M'lady?" he chuckles darkly.

Layla turns her head away again, without saying a word. He frowns and glowers at her. Grabbing her by the throat as he starts to lose his patience.

"That attitude of yours is pitiful for a lady" he growls. "I will find her, Layla and when i do " he pulls her head to his, " I'll give her the warmest welcome, fitting for the highest royalty". Snarling, he raises his other clawed arm and plows into her chest. Slowly pulling his arm back out, he tosses her across the hall, her body slamming up against the other wall. Layla coughs up blood and wheezes and was barely to turn her head up to look at the demon towering over her.

"My spirits..." she breathes heavily, " Will never let you...near my...Lucy", she wheezes again. Feeling the life drain from her. E.N.D snarls down at her, pressing his foot onto her head.

"Those pathetic stellar spirits are nothing compared to me!" he growls menacingly, pressing her head down further. Coughing, she closes her eyes and lets a small smile escape her lips.

"I believe...in my spirits. They'd do anything to protect her from the likes of you".

The demon glares down at the woman, hearing her heart take one last thump before faltering into silence. He slowly moves his foot off and glowers at the moon outside before letting an ear splitting roar echo throughout the bleak mansion. Dark flames flickered off his body, setting the walls and floor ablaze.

Leo stops in his tracks in the middle of the dark forest. He turns his head back towards the direction of the mansion he left. Tears fall silently from his eyes, feeling the last string of magic from his master leave his body. He turns to look at the sleeping girl in his arms and holds her tighter.

"We'll miss you, Layla. May you rest in peace". He takes off again, sprinting as fast as his legs can take him through the forest. Branches and twigs snapping under his feet. The forest was silent, as if it was too, mourning the loss. Leo grits his teeth, glaring ahead of him, as if making sure nothing stands in his way.

"I swear on my honor, I'll fulfill your last promise, for it is my pride, as the Leader of the Zodiac", he swears out loud. His running figure shrinks into the dark night, as the stars above, watch over them.

E.N.D stomps back over to the group of the hooded figures on the hill, waiting for any good news from their part. The mansion was burning brighter than ever, trees catch fire from the embers emitting from his steps. He was pissed beyond understanding. One hooded figure stood before the crowd and in front of the Demon. Head hanging low, as if he can feel the anger radiate from him.

"We couldn't find the g-" voice cut off as his body was set ablaze. The other hooded figures all retreat back a few steps, except one.

"I can see that" E.N.D growls furiously, "Mard Geer, report to me later on any news regarding the Heartfilla girl and let all of the underworld know of the situation. Don't bother me until then!"

Mard pulls off his hood, revealing his long, pitch-black, curly hair. His lips curl into a sinister smile up at his master, "Of course, Master". He bows and turns away with the group following closely behind.

E.N.D pulls off his dark cloak, revealing two large, red, scaled wings. He flaps them a couple times before launching himself toward the sky. Fully extending his wings, he fly's fast and dissapear's into the dark clouds covering the sorrow filled night sky.


	2. Chapter 1: Lucy Heartfilla

**AN: Just for today only, i will be posting two chapters to let the flow of the story going. Not to mention, it was a bit hetic with that mess i left behind last chapter, constantly editing because some things weren't fixing properly... my sincerest apologies. I'll be editing more as i go along though. Hopefully the prologue was enough to go on by with E.N.D's type of character as well as Leo. Totally different Natsu though amirite? Well sorry about that, it'll change later...a bit...Keep in mind, he is after all a demon...untainted by the Fairy Tail Fluff. Anyway, Continuing on with the story!**

-  
 _An alarm echoes throughout a small, lightly lit room, alerting the sleeper it was morning and time to get up. A blonde girl opens her eyes slowly, barely able to glance around as her eyes were still trying to close back. She sits up and stares at a small picture across the room. The picture had a tall man in a suit, a slightly shorter blonde woman wearing an elegant pink, poofy dress and in the center, was a small, smiling, cheerful blonde girl. Everyday that picture reminded her of the people that were no longer with her. A small knock on her door interrupts her sleepy thoughts but remained silent. Sighing, she closes her eyes for a moment, face pinched._

"Why am I having that vivid nightmare again". Lucy sighs, wincing when a large, warm hand touches her shoulder. For a moment, she forgot she had company coming in.

"Are you okay, Princess?", the man said beside her.

She turns to look at the smiling man in glasses. His bright orange hair, flowing back almost like a lions unruly mane, "Yeah, I'm okay"

Lucy moves away from him and slides out of bed, getting ready for whatever Leo has in store for her today. He watches Lucy for a moment before getting ready to leave her room.

"I have exciting news for you, Princess. Meet me in the kitchen when you're ready"

As he closes the door upon leaving, Lucy grabs her clothes and heads for the bathroom to shower. After about 30 minutes, she throws her new clothes on, a bright, pink V-neck T-shirt and small black shorts. Then ties a small black ribbon onto the side of her head. Lucy steals one last look at the photograph and smiles.

"Happy Birthday to me" she whispers, and slowly leaves her room.

She walks down the stairs to her kitchen that resided at the end of the hall with a bright Chandelier hanging in its center. Even though the place she lived in was a lot smaller than her previous home, she found it to be quite comfortable. As she approaches the kitchen, she can smell the eggs and bacon emanating from it. Skipping happily to her chair, a petite, pink-haired woman dressed in a maids outfit, approaches Lucy with a plate full of food.

"Good Morning, Princess" the woman says.

Lucy smiles brightly up at her, "Thank you for breakfast, Virgo!"

Virgo nods and bows, "Do i get my punishment now?"

Lucy spits out her fresh squeezed orange juice and looks at the the maid with a confused expression, "What? Virgo, Heaven's No!" She cleans her mess up and laughs, " How about you sit and eat with me instead?" Virgo complies and sits besides her. Leo finally slowly makes his way over to the kitchen, seeing the two ladies enjoying their breakfast. He takes notice of Lucy and a grin slowly starts spreading across his face as he takes his seat next to her.

"Okay, so spill it Leo. What's the news?" Lucy takes a few more bites of eggs, filling her cheeks entirely. Leo chuckles a bit and leans in towards her face.

"How about i clean that off first, Princess?" He points to the side of her face, snickering.

"Leo!" Lucy pushes him back playfully and wipes her face with a nearby napkin. He chuckles and continues his talk.

"As for today's news" He clears his throat, "I might have gone out in search of a perfect guild for my princess..."

Lucy drops her fork and looks at him, "Seriously?" swallowing the last few bits of food.

"I know you've been reading the Sorcerer Weekly for over a couple years now...So I'm merely suggesting that you can join a guild. If you think you're ready of course"

Lucy jumps up and dances around the kitchen, "YES! Finally i can join a guild! I been waiting for so long to finally experience it!" she turns to Leo, her smile drops just a tad bit. "You still never explained how my magic works though, Leo. Even if i possess magic, i cannot use it just yet for some reason". She slouches and sits back down. "I don't want to embarrass myself", she mumbles to herself. Leo sighs and pats her hand.

"In due time, after you join the guild, I'll Help you" he says confidently.

Lucy's corner lip twitches upwards as she looks at him, "Thank you"

Leo stands up and stretches a bit, "How about we head out now?" Lucy's face brightens up again and jumps up from her chair, slamming her hands on the table, shaking the tableware.  
"Of course! Let's go!" She bolts out of the room with excitement and Leo couldn't help but smile after her. He knew his time around the clock with her is coming to a close but, he couldn't help but cling to every second of it. He didn't have no proper contract to Lucy, she doesn't even know that he's a celestial spirit, not even Virgo. They been looking after her since she was 10 years old. Every time she went to sleep, they had to retreat back to the spirit realm to replenish their magic power. Leo had to use his own magic power to help Virgo into the world, she couldn't move around freely just yet. Lucy pops her head into the kitchen for a moment.

"C'mon!" she yells before darting back out. Leo looks at Virgo sheepishly but, the maid knew what she was suppose to do. She waves before vanishing into a bright light. Leo walks out the kitchen to see the blonde rocking on her feet at the door.

"So, what guild are we going to, Leo?" she chimes happily.  
"We're going to Magnolia, To Fairy Tail" he says proudly.

Lucy's face all but dropped as she beams with happiness, "Really? We're going to Fairy Tail?" She skips to the carriage outside with Leo following close behind. Lucy stares up at the bright blue sky, welcoming her to a brand new day, ' _What a beautiful day_ ' she thought, ' _If you're listening mom, are you excited for me? Leo is finally letting me join a guild, Fairy Tail! I can't wait_ '. Smiling radiantly at the sky as some birds fly by over her. Leo grabs her hand and slowly lifts her up into the carriage. The door closes and Leo goes in front to take them to Magnolia. Lucy sits back in her chair as she watches outside her small window. The streets and buildings start to blur together and she closes her eyes to go back into her thoughts about her mother, ' _It's really been seven years, hasn't it?_ _I miss you_ ' and slowly starts nodding off as they leave Crocus and onwards to her life in the awaiting new city.

 **Meanwhile in Tartaros;**  
The pink-haired demon looks outside with no emotion lingering on his face. The skies were red, booming with thunder and lightning flashing brightly. A few knocks came at his door but he pays it no mind. The door squeaks open loudly in the quiet room. Mard Geer approaches E.N.D with caution, as to not aggravate his master. He bows and steals a glance upwards.

"Pardon my intrusion, My lord but, i may have brought some news..." he trails off, seeing the demon glare in his direction. He winces slightly and averts his eyes.  
"Tell me already" He growls. Mard clears his throat and stands up straight, "We may have gotten some sightings in Crocus about a blonde girl. I sent some of our men to investigate the area"

E.N.D doesn't say anything as he slowly gets up from his chair to leave the room. Mard follows shortly after, not appreciating the silence but, says nothing. They quietly walk through the dark castle walls. Despite having a bunch of lit candles and chandeliers, it gave off almost no light. The fire was abnormally dark...sinister. They stopped at a pair of large wooden doors and Mard quickly moves over in front to open the doors. Upon entering the large room, it had a round table centered and 10 chairs circling it. Large open windows covered the walls, almost like a tower would. The room overlooked the entire front of the castle, keeping tabs on everything that went on. The demons in the room avert their attention on the incoming pair. Quietly whispering, they all move quickly to their chairs and sat. E.N.D takes the Center chair, propping his feet onto the table, all the while sitting back and eyes closed. The whispering stops, all waiting to hear their master speak but, it remained silent for awhile.

"Why are you still here Mard?" E.N.D. says quietly. Mard clears his throat as he stands from his chair, "Sir...?"

"Why are you not out there watching your 'men'?" the demon lord says a bit louder. Mard doesn't say another word and leaves the room. Everyone else shifts in their seats, still waiting. A female demon wearing a kimono speaks out loud, "Any news master?" Another female demon eyes her carefully, not wanting her to speak again before the Master does something unforgivable. However, E.N.D doesn't say a word, instead he opens his eyes slowly and looks at the group before him. A man in a bright metallic suit and jet black hair scoffs, "Sometime today would be nice". The demons begin whispering again and before they realize, the table rattles when the demon lord slams his hands down.

"Something curious strikes me", he begins. He eyes the demons before glaring at the black haired man, "Why are you all still sitting around when there's a girl to be found. I have waited long enough. If i have to wait around another year, I'm going to start burning myself some demons instead" He gets up and leaves the room, slamming the doors behind him. E.N.D rushes down the hall, mumbling to himself incoherently so that noone can hear.

"Almost a decade and somehow that girl manages to slip by me every year". He opens another pair of wooden doors, revealing a small throne-like room. There was a large lacrima centered in the middle that revealed large maps and detailed bits of the country. He sits down on the elegant, gold covered black throne, while eyeing the flashing lacrima.

"I'll get her soon" he breathes angrily, "and when i do...the world will open its gates to a fiery inferno" he cackles darkly.

The demons scatter across the castle corridors, when a funny, short looking cyclops demons appears behind the metallic suited man.

"How many souls will it cost to get that girl, Silver-Sama?" He laughs in glee.

Silver ignores the demon and continues walking. The cyclops catches up to him quickly and pouts, "Don't be like that! I'm sure it'll cost lots...100...maybe 200 souls!" The man sighs and speaks bitterly, "I don't care about any of that, shove off you one eyed mutant" The demon ignores him and continues to follow him down the halls. The two female demons overlook some books before the kimono wearing one turns to look at the demon next to her.

"My stories are telling me something interesting, Kyoka". Picking up a book and flipping through it slowly. A dark light emanates from it.  
"Found something interesting, Seilah?" The demon woman had the most demonic qualities, white scale like features covered her body. Two small horns covered her head and a long tail followed behind. She had large claws on both her feet and hands. Kyoka eyes over at the book before revealing a devil-like smile.  
"This could work", Then they set off into the dark castle towards their awaiting master.


	3. Chapter 2: Fairy Tail

**AN: Hello everyone! I'm still getting days sorted out for the chapter releases as well as some fixes. Anyway, there will be some changes to characters whether it'll be for the better or worse, depends on how you take it. Alot of background and ground layouts gotta be made before story picks up. I'm trying my best to keep it interesting along the way, so bare with me! Enjoy! :3 AND feel free to leave opinions and such, if not...that's fine too :3  
**

-  
Lucy gets jolted awake from the sudden carriages bump as it comes to a halt, The side door opens moments after and Lucy rubs her eyes while yawning from the long trip. Leo helps escort her out of the carriage and she stretches her arms high up into the air.

"It feels so good to stretch after being cooped up for hours" Lucy mumbles between yawns. She turns her head to gaze at the new area they're in. A bunch of cute houses were lined up on the divided roadside. There was a river splitting the little neighborhood in half and from a distance she can see a small bridge connecting the two sides. Looking up at the sky, the sun was about to set and she can hear Leo beginning to unpack her bags from the carriage.

"You already had my stuff packed? It's like I'm moving in already and i haven't even met the people" Lucy giggles and moves out of the way as he makes his way over with her bags. After setting them down, he grimaces at Lucy and rubs her head affectionately.

"I may have already gotten you a place to stay...and i may have already spoken to the guild master about you", he trails off as he continues to go and unpack the carriage. Lucy's eyes widened with curiosity and excitement. Though, as happy as she was, she was worried about what he could've said to the guild master about them. She turns to look at the building in front of them and tilts her head upwards towards an open window, ' _what a nice view that could be_ '. Leo huffs next to her, dropping the remaining bags and then grabs her hand to walk inside the building.

An old woman was standing in the buildings foyer, it was well kept but certainly the building is showing its age from the cracks in the far corners of the walls and dingy wooden stairs. The woman eyes the two incoming people and folds her arms. Stares at the young man and then her eyes dart to the blonde girl at his side. She lets out a sigh and shakes her head with disbelief, ' _The clothing the young ladies wear these days is appalling_ ' she thought. Grumbling, she looks back at the man, "Is this the young girl you told me about, Loke?" Lucy looks up at Leo and raises an eyebrow, "Loke...?" she whispers. Leo peeks at Lucy and then looks back at the old woman, "Yea, this is her". The old woman nods and turns around, walking up the stairway, she calls out to them loudly, "Follow me".

Lucy follows behind Leo as they started to follow the old woman upstairs. They walked down a long, dimly lit hallway until they reached the end of it. The woman sighs and jingles her keys at the door knob until it opened, merely glancing back at the two people behind her before moving out of the way to let them in. Lucy walked in first, moving her way around the room and was struck with awe. Leo stood by the doorway, smiling up at Lucy, even though a bit pain squeezes at his chest, refusing to let it show. Lucy walks around, the first thing she notices is the small closet and an old fashioned fire place. At the end of the room had the bath and kitchen.

She steps into the restroom and noticed a large, four legged tub and she giggles to herself, "Finally, i can take a bath properly! Standing up in the showers is just not the same as soaking in a tub". Turning back out of the room, she sees Leo talking to the old woman but stops when she comes into view. Lucy sighed before noticing the open, doubled window in the center of the room and looks through it. She realizes it was the room she saw from outside and can see everything across the neighborhood, including a large cathedral in the distance. Lucy takes a huge breath of fresh air and turns to smile at Leo behind her, "I love this view!"

He smiles gently, "I knew you would. Come, we must finish moving in, it's getting dark". The old woman sighs loudly and Lucy turns to her, "Rent is 70,000 jewel, I'll see you next month Miss Lucy" and the woman heads out the door quickly in a huff. She turns to look at Leo again who was now standing at the doorway. "This place..." she whispers, "It's small, for 3 people...", Lucy folds her arms and closes her eyes to think. Leo tilts his head to the side, "It'll work out princess"

Lucy nods and walks out of the room to help him carry the rest of her personal belongings upstairs. After they finished, she turns to look at the now crowded living room and sighs. A loud gurgle from her stomach echos and Leo looks up at her smirking. Lucy's face goes beet red and immediately hides her face with her small hands, "I might be...a bit hungry"

Leo goes to touch her shoulder but, pulls his hand right back. He turns his gaze away for a moment when slight pain filled his eyes, Tomorrow is going to be his last night watching over her freely. Lucy pulls her hands away from her face to see Leo suddenly looking distant. She touches his arm and he flinches, "Leo, What's wrong?" He snaps out of it for the moment and turns his gaze to the blonde girl in front of him, "Come, lets go get you something to eat in town before shops close". Lucy grimaces and her stomach sounds again, "Okay"

The next day, Lucy woke up in the middle of her bright living room floor. They laid out three sleeping mats last night, since she had no furniture in the apartment at the moment. She turns her head to see two empty sleeping bags, "Leo?" she calls out first. Lucy gets up carefully and slides on a small, pink robe. Looking around the empty room, she heard strange noises inside the kitchen. Leo pops his head out right before she could walk in and behind him was Virgo, slowly making her way into sight. "Good Morning, Princess" they said in unison. Lucy smiles, "You guys are up early". Leo winks at her, "ready for the big day?" Lucy looks at herself, then back up at him, "Let me get clothes from the bag and then I'll be ready to go"

Leo started talking to Virgo quietly inside the kitchen while Lucy gets ready. She can only hear a few words thrown around about Magic and spirits but shrugs it off, thinking it was none of her concern...for now. Leo tells Lucy to wait outside for him, then he turns to look at Virgo one more time, "You sure you can handle everything by tonight?", he says quietly. Virgo nods and dissapear's into a bright light. Leo sighs as he starts leaving the room and quietly closes the door behind him to meet with Lucy.

Lucy was awestruck as she takes in the all the wonderful sights Magnolia had to offer, an entirely different experience compared to last nights quiet city. Leo only gave her a brief tour of the town and small explanations of the places that would be of interest to Lucy. It would have to be after the meeting with the guild of course. She made mental notes for herself, to make sure that she would visit every bookstore and magic shop first, before anything else that came along the way.  
Leo stops suddenly and Lucy bumps into him from behind. She was about to ask what was up until her eyes met with a large building in front of them. It was old, however, it was still a beautifully crafted building nonetheless. A Large flag with an emblem, waved in the wind on the top, centered tower. That tower was tall enough to overlook the entire landscape. Large wooden doors stood in the center with a wooden Mantle above it. It was held by two fairy-like emblems on each side, it was carved into with the bold lettering, Fairy Tail. Lucy's' eyes were lit with excitement. She was actually here, the place she read non-stop stories about. Lucy smiles radiantly at Leo and she grabs his hand and starts pulling him towards the door like a child.

The doors swung open as Leo followed close behind Lucy. She stood there taking in the sight of her new guild. Large wooden chandeliers hung from above, wooden tables spread out across the halls and she can see a bar in the back with stairs going up from the side. The air smelled musty with faint traces of alcohol lingering, her nose scrunched. Slowly walking inside, Lucy only now noticed how loud it was. Glass clanging, people yelling and for a split second, she could've swore she saw chairs flying around.

"A real man fights back!", says a large, tanned guy with short, spiked, white hair. He was huge and incredibly built. He nearly towered everyone by a foot, maybe two. A topless, raven haired man was found standing on top of the table, shaking his fist at the guy who yelled. "Would you cut it out Elfman? I'm trying to enjoy my meal here for once!"  
"Gray-sama, your shirt is missing again!" says a blue haired girl. She has such pale, fair skin, eyes a deep blue. Her light-blue hair was long, curling at the bangs and to the bottom of her hair., overall, she was very pretty. The woman was carrying for what it seemed like...a mans shirt? Gray, she assumed, turned to look at the girl next to him, before mumbling something and looking somewhat panicked, with tints of pink coating his cheeks.

Lucy shakes her head and turns to look at Leo, "What kind of guild is this?" she mutters before she got dragged by him across the hall. People turned to look at them for a moment until a brunette holding a keg, yells across the hall, "New girl again? You sly dog! Bit too young though, don'tcha ya think?" the woman looks back down at her barrel, lifts the keg and chugs down the liquor. Lucy was left in disbelief, ' _where does she put it_?' she thought. Leo laughs, returning Lucy's attention back to him, "Wouldn't you like to know, Cana. I'm afraid it's all business today" He clears his throat before continuing to pull Lucy towards the back. Cana winks at them before going back to her drink. They stopped walking when they reached the bar. A Young woman with long, white hair emerges from the back room. Her white bangs in the front was held by a tiny ribbon and she was wearing an adorable, red dress trimmed with white lace. Her blue eyes sparkled brightly and her smile beamed at the two of them approaching.

"Hello there, Loke!" she says in a piping, cheery voice. Lucy glances up at Leo, It was that strange nickname again but before she can ask him, her eyes widened and face drops. How has she not realized it before, his entire appearance changed. His hair was shorter, spikier and his usual suit was replaced by jeans and a green jacket...when did that even happen? She could've swore he was dressed differently before they walked into the guild. She shook her head, "Why is everyone calling you Loke?" Leo doesn't say anything and continues to look at the woman across from them, "Hello there, my beautiful Mira! By any chance, do you know if Master is in today?" she giggles and nods, "Yes, he's in his office. Who's this lovely young lady by the way?" Mira smiles down at Lucy and she smiles back as she realizes this is the woman that was always featured in her favorite weekly magazine. Mirajane Strauss. Lucy slowly raises her hand out to her, "I'm Lucy, Nice meeting you, Mira!" The white-haired woman shakes her hand gently. "No, no, the pleasure is all mine. Please, allow me to take you to the guild master" Mira starts walking around the counter, "So, you're the new girl that'll be joining us?" Lucy beams excitedly, "Yes! I can't wait!"

They walked up the stairs and towards a narrow corridor. Around the corner, they could see a lit room with the doors wide open. A lone desk was centered and the Fairy Tail emblem was stitched into the carpet. Mira nods at the two of them before leaving back to the bar. Leo closes the door and Lucy shifts behind him slightly. A Short, old man suddenly hops onto the desk. He was wearing an old white robe with strange designs. His hair was white and it only covered the sides of his head, while his mustache grew unkempt.

Leo bows slightly at the old man, "Been awhile, Master Makarov" The old man chuckles and nods back, "How've you been, Leo?" He turns his gaze on Lucy and grins happily, "Is this the girl you told me about? So young and beautiful" Leo smirks, "yes, this is her. She's also off limits" The old man grins with slight embarrassment, putting one hand behind his head. Lucy's' face tints with a slight blush.

Makarov turns slightly to pick up the wooden mug on the desk before clearing his throat, "Nice to meet you, Miss Lucy. Please have a seat" as he gestures to the chair in front of them. She sits down, folding her legs as Leo stands beside her. He smiles down on Lucy, reassuring her everything will be alright. The old man moves to sit on the edge of his desk, swinging his feet slightly in anticipation, "Would you care to talk a little about yourself dear?"

Lucy looks down, her eyebrows knit. She doesn't know how much the old man knew. Sighing quietly, Lucy looks back at Makarov, "I-I don't know what Leo already told you but..." She pauses a moment before continuing, "As you know, I'm Lucy. I'm still learning about my magic and if you'll let me, I'd love to be a part this guild. It's been my dream for awhile now and It'd be nice to make new friends. I hardly ever went out by myself..." Lucy's voice trails into a whisper, then looks away slightly embarrassed. She didn't mean to let unnecessary thoughts slip out. Leo pats her head gently, then continues for her. Makarov looks up at Leo, as his face scrunches, almost like he was thinking about something complicated.  
"You already know the basics, Master. All that i ask, Is that you'll allow her to join the guild. To be safe and under your guidance. There's only so much i can teach her on my own..." He looks down at Lucy with fondness filling his eyes and a hint of sadness, "...she's also quite the fast learner. Soon she'll be able to wield the Zodiac keys that her late mother passed down to her"

Lucy's eyes widened...' _Zodiac Keys_? _what_...?' She starts thinking back as far as she could, where could she have heard that term before. Leo continues to speak, "I'm not one to ask for favors but, just this once, can Fairy Tail look after her, as one of your own" Leo suddenly bows. Lucy was shocked as she blinks with confusion. She almost missed the silent tear that slid down his face and her chest tightened. What was he hiding from her, to cause him so much pain? How does he even know Makarov? Why hasn't he brought up anything about the Zodiac keys before? Questions kept filling her head until Makarov cleared his throat loudly, grabbing her attention from the invasive thoughts.

"Raise your head, Leo. Of course Lucy can be a part of this family" He jumps off the desk and holds out a hand to Lucy. She looks down and really takes notice of the old man's height, barely reaching her knees. She stifles a laugh and bends down slightly to shake his hand, despite his looks, his grip was firm. He started smiling widely, from ear to ear, "Welcome to Fairy Tail, Lucy! Now get out there and properly introduce yourself to everyone, while this old man continues this forever growing paperwork". almost grumbling the last few words.

Lucy squeals in delight, thanking him and then skips out of the room humming to herself. Leo lingers behind for a moment and glances up at the guild master, "I'm afraid they're getting closer, Makarov. I'm worried that i won't get there in time, that...she won't be ready for when it happens..." he murmurs. Makarov sighs, "We'll do whatever we can for the girl, just be sure you look after Lucy and that you train her properly. After all, shes the only heiress of the Heartfilla's. Her mother was a brilliant celestial mage too, I'm sure Lucy will make her proud." He grins back at Leo with a reaffirming smile and Leo grimaces.

"I know and thank you, Master, for everything" He turns to leave the room to follow after Lucy and sees her waiting at the top of the stairs.  
"You know..." Lucy raises an eyebrow at him, " You have a lot of explaining to do. For one, Loke? Two, Zodiac keys? Is that what my magic is? You always kept saying that i had a special magic residing inside of me, but never said what..." Lucy folds her arms, pouting and slightly tapping her foot. Leo smiles sheepishly and puts a hand behind his head, looking over the railing. "About that...if you promise to wait just a bit longer, i can explain everything when we get home. I promise." he holds his hand out to her. Lucy huffs, "fine..." and points a finger to his chest, "No forgetting or sidetracking or ignoring like you usually do and SO conveniently good at" A smile escapes her lips, "Now about these guys..." she points with her thumb downstairs, "Is it always this loud?" Leo barks out laughing, "Yes...actually, this is one of the more quieter days..." Lucy's eyes pop out and mouths to herself, ' _quieter days_?..." Leo grabs her hand and they slowly descend down the stairs.  
"Hope you enjoyed the view, normally people aren't allowed up here. Unless business with the master, usually clients or accepting an S-Class mission. I'm sure Mira can help fill you in on the rest later"  
Lucy smiles as she reaches the bottom of the stairs and looks across at the noisy guild hall. From here on out, she knew it'll be a new turn in her life, As well as a new family welcoming her into its arms.

-  
 _ **Additional AN: I might start posting small previews for the next chapter but, ill gladly accept questions and concerns. I'm even trying to extend the chapters a bit longer without over-killing it...I already came up with a new story in mind. Might be posted in the near future, still sorting out a plot. X3 stay tuned for the next chapter.**_


	4. Chapter 3: Nothing but the Truth

**AN: So! I decided officially, that im going to be updating three times a week! (O.O)/ i have a lot of chapters already pre-written but still tidying them up. It starts getting exciting next chapter, I can't wait! Anyway, i hope you enjoy the story, incoming feels...(at least to me anyway, *sobs*) Feel free to leave a review of your thoughts and opinions...whether its good or bad, it'll help me alot! Also a huge shoutout to my current reviewers, it made me happy to see you guys enjoying the story :3**

 *******P.S. Preview Spoiler at the end! it has a small warning for those who do not wish to see it! X3 ********

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' _Tick...Tock...Tick..._ '

The clock was all she could hear in her quiet room. Lucy was laying on her back, staring up at the ceiling. Leo was sitting on the couch across the room, his expression was conflicted with the harsh truth of Lucy's future and leaving her alone in the apartment starting tomorrow. While he was left with his thoughts, Lucy was re-thinking about everything she went through this afternoon. As tired as Lucy was, she felt restless. Unable to sleep as she kept replaying Leo's words in her head, "Your mother was merely an obstacle, in the way so to speak...They were after you, Lucy".

* **Flashback to earlier that day** *

Lucy and Leo reached the bottom of the stairwell after returning from the guild master's office. She couldn't help but feel lighter on her feet. Everything was going so well, at least she thought it was. Cana got up from her seat and started walking towards them.  
"Loke! When are you going to introduce me to the new girl?" Lucy couldn't help but smile and wave at the woman. Cana looked down at her and grinned, "She's cute, Loke. Where did y'all meet?" Lucy grimaced and was suddenly pulled into the woman. Leo laughed, "I been looking after Lucy since she was small" The two of them exchanged a look before Cana finally let's go of Lucy, "Keep an eye on her, Loke or imma steal her" she winked again, then headed over to the bar. Mira comes from behind, "I take it you both are having a good time?" Lucy looks up at her and smiles, "Yes! It's loud but honestly, i wouldn't have it any other way" She looks back at the noisy guild hall, seeing people laughing, cheering and drinking to their hearts content. Mira hums and pulls out a black box.  
"So..Lucy, where would you like the guild mark...Oh and what color?" Lucy giggles and thinks, only for a moment before pointing at her right hand, "Pink!" She doesn't know why that color, considering her favorite color is blue but, she shrugs it off and watches Mira press the stamp on her right hand and smiles.  
"All done!" Lucy holds her hand up to the light and was ecstatic. Leo gives her a gentle smile but sighs quietly after. His time is getting shorter and he had to head back to the spirit realm soon. They sat down at the bar and Mira hands them a drink. Shortly after, two people started to approach them.

The raven-haired boy and the blue haired girl from earlier. Only this time, the girl was clinging to his arm and seemed like she was somewhat glaring at Lucy. Lucy shook her head from that thought and smiled at them.  
"I saw you earlier today, you're the new recruit right?" says the now shirtless boy. Lucy raises her brow. This guy, why is he always taking off his shirt? Lucy grimaces, "Yea, I'm Lucy and...You're Gray right?" He averts his eyes a moment, "yeah, Gray Fullbuster" He looks back at Lucy and holds out his hand, "Welcome to Fairy Tail, Lucy" Lucy wanted to smile and shake his hand but suddenly feeling irked. She kicks him away.  
"If you're going to greet someone, DON'T STRIP IN FRONT OF THEM! PERVERT!" Leo quickly looks at Lucy and laughs at the sight, "I guess the ice prince had it coming at some point" his laugh trails off as he noticed the blue-haired girl had tears running down her face.  
"Gray-sama, How could you take off your clothes in front of another girl! Juvia is so sad..." she says between sobs and quickly goes back to Gray but, not without another glare pointed at Lucy. She definitely wasn't seeing things this time. Lucy huffs and turns to Leo, "Does that guy always strip publicly?" but, before he could answer, she heard Gray yell across the room, "What'd you do that for, Lucy!?" Leo turns to look at the man and smirks, "Maybe next time you shouldn't strip in front of a Lady" Gray grumbles as Juvia helped him up. They shortly returned back to the bar, this time Gray was properly clothed.

"Sorry about that, Just a stupid habit i had since i was young" Lucy laughs and puts out her hand, " If you say so and It's nice meeting you too" Gray shakes her hand but, she immediately pulls her hand back from his touch. Gray looks at her worried, wondering if he offended the blonde again.  
"geez, you're freezing!" Lucy rubs her hands together, attempting to get the warmth back in her fingers.  
Gray shakes his head, not the first time that happened, "I guess it's because of my magic. I'm an ice mage, so naturally, my body temperature fixed itself for it" he shrugs and Juvia turns to look at Lucy, gripping Gray's arm once again.  
"I'm Juvia Lockser and you're my love rival. I warn you, Stay away from my Gray-sama, He's mine!" Squeezing his arm tighter. Lucy's eyes popped and felt tongue tied, ' _I'm her what_?" Lucy shakes her head and puts a hand up in defeat, "i had no such thoughts, Juvia. Nice meeting you too"

Gray rolled his eyes at Juvia, "Juvia, how many times have i told you, you can't say that to every girl you meet" Lucy heard him mumble something else, along the lines of, " _I'm already yours_ " but, she didn't dwell on it. After a moment, Juvia walks over to Lucy's side and puts her hand out, "Juvia is sorry and apologizes. It's nice meeting you, Lucy" Leo looks up at the the blue haired girl, "She's also a water mage, it's no wonder her and Gray get along" he snickers back at the Ice-mage, making the other guy completely fluster and mouthed something inaudible. Leo waves him off before staring off into the distance, his mind was still stuck on the invasive thoughts about Lucy. It was getting late and he made a promise to explain everything. He taps Lucy's shoulder and she gazes up to him, pulling her away from the conversation between Gray and Juvia, "What's up? she asks, sipping from her drink. Leo stands up, "Time to get home, Lucy" Lucy blinks and realized too, that it was getting late. She also thought she waited long enough for him to finally start his explanation. Gray stands up and touches Lucy's shoulder before she was about to leave, "hey, most of the guild is out today. If you come by later this week, everyone should be back from their jobs. If you want to meet the rest of course" She smiles and nods at him, "thank you" and walks away with Leo back to her apartment. Juvia walks over to Gray and holds his hand, "Juvia thinks Lucy and Loke make a cute couple" Gray scoffs, "that guy can't ever stick to one girl. Besides, he said he looked after Lucy since she was a baby, it'll be weird" Juvia giggles and they walked back to the bar.

Halfway home and the moon was starting to rise above the buildings. ' _Time flew by quickly'_ , she thought. The wind blew gently and Leo stopped in his tracks, turning to look at Lucy, with pain filled eyes and a lingering sad smile. Lucy stops a couple feet behind him and looks at him with worry.  
"Is something wrong, Leo?" she whispers. Almost afraid to approach him, her chest tightened, unable to understand the sudden tense air around them. Leo turns to look at the rising moon in the sky. The faint moonlight touched his skin gently, illuminating his pale skin, making it glow dimly. Before he spoke, his appearance suddenly changed again, this time she saw it. A tear rolls down his face, one single tear before speaking quietly.  
"How much do you remember about ' _That Night_ ', Lucy?"

She was still trying to understand what was going on at the moment. Her mind was going everywhere. His Sudden change in attitude, his odd appearance changes and now this. Lucy didn't know what to say. _That night_...her eyes squeezed shut and her breathing was getting heavier. She wanted nothing to do with that memory but, the fact that she had that vivid nightmare come back to her a few days ago. Lucy opens her eyes to look at Leo, confusion and pain filled her dark, brown eyes. Fighting back tears, she answers him just as quietly, "I remember, the screaming...the smoke...mom..." her thoughts lock up.

Layla Heartfilla, the woman that spent countless hours with Lucy while her father was working all crazy hours. The few moments she saw him, he always took them out, whether it was parties or sailing. Her favorite was the picnics...The photograph flashes in her mind and she winces. Her eyes start betraying her, as tears slip and her voice cracks, "I remember the sad eyes mom gave me before leaving us in that room..."She rubs her tears away with the back of her hand, "she never came back...why has she never come back, Leo?" her voice barely coherent, as it was being interrupted by small sobs. Leo walked to her slowly and puts his hand up to wipe the small tears from under her eyes.

Lucy spoke again, barely any clearer than before, "those dark flames...it burnt everything and i was never even told why it happened...I don't even remember seeing father there" Lucy finally caved into her weakness as she fell into Leo's arms crying. "why are you asking me this..?"  
Leo takes a deep breath as he looks over her, staring ahead as he spoke, "Lucy, you know what your mother was, don't you?" Lucy shook her head, "What do you mean?" she was confused, her mother was a wealthy woman, she knew that...Lucy tries to remember the other things her mother spoke to her about.

- **Small flashback** -

"Mommy the stars are beautiful! We should camp out more often!" says 10 year old Lucy. Her mother walks from beside the tree with a bag full of sticks and marshmallows, "Yes they are, Aren't they?" She sits down next to her daughter, handing her the bag. "They talk to me everyday...all kinds of things" Lucy's bright brown eyes was shining from the moonlight and with excitement, "The stars talk to you, momma?" Layla lets out a small, light laugh, "Yes, they do. You see, Your mother has magic too! It let's me talk to the spirits of the stars!" Lucy giggles, "You're amazing mommy! Tell me, What are they saying to you now?" Layla looks up at the stars in the sky and then back at her daughter lovingly but something else in her eyes was distant. Lucy was too young to notice it but, Layla touches her daughters head before pulling her close to her chest. "The stars whisper to me everyday, about the lovely little girl i have. They want to meet with you" Lucy moves only slightly to look at her mothers face, "Can i meet with them?" she says excitedly. Her mother started humming a lullaby and nodded, "Someday sweety" She looks over her shoulder slightly, tucking her daughter back in her arms. "They whisper to me every night, telling me to watch you closely" Lucy was already asleep from the lullaby before she can hear anything else, as a silent tear falls down her mother's cheek under the bright, starry night.

- **End of small flashback** -

Lucy held a hand to her face as she recalls that small memory. She didn't think much of it then but, now she remembers where she heard that term before,"She told me she can talk to star spirits...wouldn't that make her a celestial mage?" Lucy didn't know why she never recalled it before but she slowly started pulling the pieces together. Leo told her she was suppose to wield Zodiac keys that were passed on from...and then it clicks.  
"I'm a celestial wizard, Leo?"...Leo...the name on her lips tingle...Leo the Lion...but, it can't be...this whole time, her whole upbringing since that night.

Leo pulls Lucy away gently, turning his face away as Lucy quietly puts the puzzle together herself, "Your mother was an amazing celestial mage, Lucy. She nearly had all of the golden gate keys...until her husband, Jude, took them away for safety precautions. It tore her apart for awhile but they had no choice." he trails off before seeing Lucy look horrified. "My father took away her keys? What on earth for? You can't take a Celestial wizards keys! I only read somethings about them but...If there is one thing you don't do...Is lose the keys...they're not just keys..." she wipes her tears away, "they're spirits, they're friends you make contracts to. Spirits that help and fight alongside you...My father wouldn't do that to Mom! He...wouldn't..." Lucy glares at the ground, her body starts trembling with confusion and tears. "It doesn't make sense, like, You!" she points at him, tears filling her eyes, "Your Leo the Lion, aren't you!? Why would you hide that from me? Why didn't you tell me...i trusted you..."

Leo's composure starts to fall and looks at her in the eyes. His chest tightens, filling with nothing but guilt and pain. He had to get to the bottom of this quickly, his magic was getting weaker. He walks over to the bridge dividing the two sides of the neighborhood, leans over the edge and looks at the moonlight reflecting in the water.  
"Yeah" he whispers loud enough for her to hear, "I'm Leo, Leader of the Zodiac gates, to be exact" Lucy walks over to him but keeps a small distance between them.  
"Your mother always talked to me and the other zodiac about her life, her future, her pride. I was happy. She was the most kindest and gentlest being i ever met. Until that night..." he grits his teeth and his hand slowly balls into a fist. Lucy tilts her head at him, wanting to comfort him, however...she didn't move. Leo sighs as he continues, "Your father, took everyone's keys except mine and Virgo's only because she hid them...she hid them just in case" Leo looks up into the sky and closes his eyes, "That night, they came...A dark magic surrounded the estate until it combusted into flames. Their motive was unclear but we knew what they were after...and it wasn't your mother, Lucy" he turns to her, the most painful look in his eyes. Lucy winced, "who...who were they after, Leo?" He chuckles darkly, making Lucy worry even more, "Tell me!" she says loudly. Her voice echos the neighborhood, and that was when her world started to fall apart.

"Your mother, was an obstacle...in the way, so to speak. They needed the keys of course but, they were after you, Lucy. I only know this because the celestial king has been warning everyone, including Layla, to be cautious and to be ready, we just didn't know when they would strike. We were warned...and they still..." he shakes his head, as his body shakes uncontrollably. He suddenly punches the bridge wall, as it cracks and falls slowly into the water.  
"I couldn't even protect her, Lucy. I wanted to...i wanted to stop her. Your mother, made me swear on her last words to me, to protect you. To look after you and to leave her behind" He puts his hand to his face. "I still can't even forgive myself, Lucy. I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."

Lucy could barely hear him. Her family, her home, was destroyed...because the enemy was after her? Lucy falls to her knees, staring at the ground, body shaking as tears start to fall again. Leo grips the bridge side again before continuing, "The demons need you for something, i have no idea what. Whatever it is, it can't be good. After i took you out of that place...i felt it...the pain from your mother, shooting through me in waves. She was terrified, Lucy but, i had to keep running, as far as i can. It was shortly after you fell asleep...when i was far enough to be out of sight from the burning nightmare...your mother..." his voice cracks as tears escape his eyes, "i felt the last moment of your mother passing. Her words rang loudly in my ears as i felt her magic slip through me, She believed in us, Lucy. She believed we can fight them back" Lucy couldn't ignore it any longer, she runs over to Leo and hugs him tightly. Both filled with pain and sorrow. They cried for what it seemed like hours, comforting each other in quiet tears under the night sky.

Lucy only processed a little bit of what she heard. Shoving back the questions about her magic, she buries her head into his chest."what exactly happened to her?" she whispers under her quivering breath. Leo tucks her head under his chin, lightly laying his head onto hers. "She was murdered, Lucy. I don't know who did it but, whatever it was, I'm sure it'll show up again. This time though..." she can feel him stiffen his arms around her, "This time, we'll be ready for them. I'll make sure of it" Lucy can only shake her head a bit, before he pulled back, giving her a small smile. "Starting tomorrow" he says while stroking her golden hair gently, "I'll help you unlock your magic and have you use the keys. I only kept it from you this long because..." he sighs and looks away, almost glaring at the wall. "The things after you, somehow are able to detect celestial magic...i never taught you because i was just trying to hide you for as long as possible. I wanted to find a place that can protect you as well..." Lucy turns his head to have him look her in the eyes, "Is that the reason for the guild so suddenly?" Leo nods, "I'm sorry..." Lucy shakes her head and grimaces, "we all have our reasons and for that, Thank you...for being honest..." He smiles more brightly this time and pulls her up with him.

Her face scrunches as she remembered a small irrelevant detail, "So why the name Loke?" He looks down at her and smirks as they started walking to the apartment again, holding hands; "Mostly for undercover purposes, Seeing as how i'm a spirit without an actual identity in this world, so I had to make one. I'm also the only one that's able to walk in and out the spirit realm freely with my own magic power" Lucy looks ahead, "what about Virgo?" They opened the door to the apartment building, "She's here because of me. I shared my magic power with her to allow her to come out with me. It's draining but, I can't do everything now can i?" he laughs quietly. They entered her room and she lays down on her bed, "So tomorrow..." Leo sits on the couch and looks at her, "tomorrow..." he says quietly. The room goes quiet. Lucy closes her eyes as the clock ticks louder with the growing silence.

- **Back to the Present time-**

Leo clears his throat, "I have to go now. My magic is wearing thin and Lucy..." he gets up and hands her a couple golden keys. One had Leo's Sign and the other Virgo's. "Tomorrow, when you're ready, i want you to call me out. It's simple really" Lucy sits up and puts her hand out as he drops the keys into it.  
"simple how?" she holds the keys up to the light before returning her attention back to him, "Focus your inner magic onto the key. Kind of like..." he looks around the room, "Think of it as water" He sits on her bed, "The magic runs through you like blood...almost. It courses in your veins but this time, i want you to feel it out. Once you do and trust me, you'll know when you feel it. Put all your attention towards that feeling and think of a place you want to put it, have it course into that direction. In this situation, it'll be to your hands, towards the key. The key will resonate with the magic. Your mother...used the words...a warm feeling. That it calls out to you. I'm sure once you get the hang of it, it'll come as easy as breathing" He smiles at her before standing up again,"Well, it's time princess, i must get going" Lucy smiles at him gently, "Good night, Leo"

A bright light shines in the room and he bows slightly before disappearing into the light. Lucy looks down at her keys and noticed a small light emanating from it. Sighing, she lays back down and holds her keys close before losing herself to sleep.

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 **Additional AN: Now for the incoming preview for next chapter!**

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 _*~"Leo! This isn't funny! Show yourself!" Lucy looks around the dark room, unable to see anything as she stretches her hand out in front of her. Her fingers bump into large, cold, iron bars and she jumps back slightly. Her throat tightened and felt shivers go down her spine. The room wasn't cold, there was no wind... no, it was from the dark, expressionless eyes that stared at her. She squints and was barely able to see the red hue lingering in them. She tried to speak but no words came out. The eyes continued to stare at her when a sudden low growl echoed in the room. Lucy approached the bars again, having a strange feeling in her gut, almost as if she was being pulled. Those red tinted eyes enticed her, tilting her head to the side without breaking contact, she whispered "who are you?"_.~*

Stay tuned for the next chapter! ;)


	5. Chapter 4: The Meaning of Magic

**AN: Finally, my chapters are getting a bit longer...hope you guys don't mind. Things are picking up, *excited*, i really hope you guys are enjoying it so far too. More characters will get introduced later into the story, i have it all set up in my head, so don't panic just yet if you don't see certain ones pop up.**

 **To be honest, i don't know how long this story is going to be. It plays over in my head like a bedtime story and i only just recently decided to write it...then it took all the courage and getting over embarrassment to reveal it to the public. (ok thats enough rambling from me)**

 **So, enjoy the new chapter, many,many more chapters are to come. Continue leaving reviews, questions, or concerns. I'll gladly answer them back to the best of my abilities (O.O") as well as many thanks for the continued support~**

 ** _P.S. Preview at the end, spoiler warning will be displayed_** :3

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Morning came again and the sun shined brilliantly through the cracks of Lucy's curtains. Lucy moaned, not wanting to get up and eventually slid the pillow over her messy bedhead. About five minutes later, her alarm went off, startling her to fall out of bed. Sighing, she carefully gets up and glanced over at the offending noise, "Morning already?" she groaned.

Lucy got up carefully and started to fix her bed when she spotted the two golden keys in between her blankets. That was when she realized, she was alone now. "It feels weird, not having you around, Leo" she dangles the Lion's key into the air, it shimmered in the bright sunlight. Lucy places the keys down on her desk before grabbing her clothes and off to the bathroom. Turning on the faucet, allowing the hot water fill the tub as she got undressed quickly. She turns the faucet off and slides into the tub, one foot at a time before finally submerging herself, leaving only her head above water. "Celestial keys...demons...and I'm the target", her brows furrow as she continued talking to herself out loud. Almost as if she was trying to convince herself to believe it, "why would they want me though? I'm sure there's alot more stronger celestial mages than me out there..." she groans as closes her eyes. The hot water only relaxed her a bit but, still leaving her somewhat tense. "If i use my magic...they'll find me won't they?" she drifts off, lost in her thoughts and before she realized it, an hour passed. She gets out of the cold bath water and quickly got dressed. ' _I wonder if Leo is waiting for me...Where would be a good place to start training?'_ She looks into her mirror as she ties her hair up to one side. ' _Maybe if no one is at the park?...Is there any open fields outside this city...?_ ' she thought. Lucy grabs her keys and places them into a small brown pouch, "I guess i'll have to go look" she whispered quietly as she left the apartment.

The town was bright and lively as ever as Lucy walked down the streets of Magnolia. She stopped by a few shops to grab herself a small pink bag, as well as some medical supplies and snacks. Lucy walked around until she reached the city park and noticed it was a bit too crowded for magic training, "i guess this is out of the question" she mumbles loudly to herself. She continued to walk down the quieter side of town, noting the small magic shop she passed for later. At the end of the road, there was a small gate blocking a passageway to the forest. Looking around, she saw no one to ask permission to pass through. She shrugs and sighs as she tried to think of another way around. Lucy approached the gate and studied it for a moment, ' _maybe it wouldn't be so bad to jump over?_ ' She tosses her bag on the other side and pulls herself up carefully. Right when she got to the top, she snagged her skirt on the edge and yelped as she fell over on the other side. She winces from the scratch but luckily it didn't break skin.

"I liked this skirt too.." she whined as she got up and grabbed her bag. "At least it didn't tear all the way up, then i would've had to change...and i didn't even start training yet" Lucy continued whining to herself until she finally reached an open clearing in the forest. She looks around and noticed a single stump in the middle of the clearing. Lucy walks over to it and places her bag down as she sat in the grass, admiring the peaceful, quiet view. "I guess this will do"

She pulls up her little brown pouch and pulled out Leo's Key, ' _Feel for my magic, huh?_ ' she thought as she slowly composed herself on the tree stump. Lucy closes her eyes and folded her legs while holding the key. It only took a few minutes until the air around her picked up, slowly circling around her, gently brushing across her skin. She felt her body growing warm, tingling through her shoulders, her arms, her hands and finally, she felt it at her fingertips. Lucy's eyes snapped open when her mouth moved on its own accord, "Open, Gate of the Lion, Leo!" A bright flash engulfed the small area. Lucy fell backwards from the sudden brightness and appearance, as well as exhaustion pulling at her from the inside. She glanced up to see the all too familiar orange-haired man in his suit and glasses.

"Leo!" she yells loudly, filled with happiness, ignoring the tired feeling. He turns to look at her and his face lit with pride and joy. "I knew you'd get the hang of it quickly" Leo walks over to Lucy and helps her off the ground. He felt the weak strings of magic tugging at her and grimaced. "seems it'll be a while before your body gets use to it. Not bad for a first timer though" Leo winks and flashes her a bright smile. Lucy giggles and wipes her slightly torn skirt from the grass and dirt. "Is it always this draining though, summoning the spirits?" Leo thinks for a moment, eyes closed as he held his hand to his chin. "Depends honestly, on the user and the amount of spirits being summoned. Even the type of spirits being summoned, like us Zodiac. Despite being only 1 of each golden key, 12 in total, It'll be impossible to summon all of them at once. It's rare to even summon two of the Zodiac, even the most powerful celestial mages can summon at most three different spirits but, that hasn't been seen since centuries ago"He trails off into thought and Lucy just blinks up at him. ' _Centuries ago? Is it really that difficult?_ ' Lucy looks at her keys and Leo places a hand on hers.

His face was suddenly serious and spoke with a low voice, "Lucy, What i don't recommend is summoning more than one of us at a time in your current state. I know i gave you two keys but, please, Do not summon more than you can handle. At least until we get some training in, If..." his eyes closed, " If you tried pushing your luck, You could possibly die. The magic used to summon us is quite costly on beginners, such as yourself who has no experience with magic at the moment. As you probably have felt, you might feel tired, exhausted...drained" He lets go of her hand and sits on the stump, "The stronger a mage becomes, the more the heavily dependent their magic becomes to them. Their essence of life becomes intertwined with their magic...and if that magic is drained too much...until exhaustion..." his eyes shoot to hers as Lucy gulps with nervousness, "It'll take their life as well. Which is why magic isn't just fun and games. It becomes your life source." Lucy nods and bites her lip. Processing everything she heard and now feeling slightly nervous. "What can you teach me then so i wouldn't feel so exhausted all the time?" she stands in front of Leo as he looks up at her, his expression softening. "You can start by meditating, soaking up the magic emanating from the earth below you. Magic is everywhere, you just have to claim it as your own. " His corner lips pull up slightly, "We can start right now if you're up for it. The second you feel out of it. tired even, i want you to stop. Promise me" Lucy smiles gently at him and nods again, "I promise"

After a couple hours in the forest clearing, Lucy gasps and falls over back onto the ground. Her face was covered in sweat as she tried not to think about how the rest her body felt. ' _Bubbles and hot water...a bath_ ' were the only things that crossed her mind at the moment. Leo said he was going help her but left out the part about how hard and exhausting it'll be. "Looks like you're going to need some silver keys to practice with. The magic they consume vary but, its a lot less than our keys" Leo says while still sitting on the tree stump. He slouches over, looking at Lucy from a distance with a grin slipping onto his face, "Does the princess require a break and a bath?" He winks at her and Lucy returns him half-hearted glare while her cheeks flushed, "A bath yes but i can do that fine on my own, thank you" She sighs loudly as she pulls herself back up. "What kind of silver keys are there? Did mom leave any?" Leo hums and thinks for only a moment, "She left a couple. I gave you the two golden keys first because we're already contracted to you. No one else can summon us in this world because only one of each Zodiac key can exist at a time. However, Silver keys can easily be produced, therefore multiple Celestial Wizards can summon them" he walks over to Lucy and kneels next to her, holding a couple silver keys in his hand, "So, when you get enough rest, you can summon these guys here to form a contract with them. You both will work out a schedule of convenience to suit your needs, then you'll be allowed summon them without worry" Lucy nods before her voice grew quiet, "Did mom...ever tell you where my father hid the other Zodiac keys?" Her eyes darted to the ground nervously. She heard Leo sigh as he handed Lucy the silver keys. "I honestly don't know. I have a slight hunch but its a long shot." Lucy looks back up to him, "You think when im ready, we can go get them?" he chuckles before patting her head, "Yeah, i think that'd be best" Lucy closes her eyes as she refolded her legs back, "I think im ready to try one more time"

Leo sits in front of her, legs folded as well as he takes her hands into his, "I can help channel your magic. I can transfer some of my magic onto you for now, so you wont exhaust yourself entirely from this exercise" Lucy hums in agreement, "alright" She tilts her head slowly towards the sky and Leo watches her, speaking barely above a whisper, "I want you to listen to my voice, Lucy" Wind starts to pick up slightly, gently whipping Lucy's hair around her face. Leo closes his eyes as he continues to speak quietly, "I want you to feel the magic pulsing to your hands, let it flow through your fingers, try to make it your own" Lucy sighs quietly, and the wind picks up more. "Don't shy away from my magic, it'll sting a bit at first but, welcome it. It'll flow through your fingers, your arms, chest and then to your mind. Your entire being will force my magic into its own." Lucy shudders feeling the tingling sensation start to flow through her. The air around them picked up heavily, whipping her hair all over the place. "It hurts a bit" she said between pants of breath. Leo opens his eyes slightly as he watches the girl in front of him glow slightly, he smiles gently and thought quietly to himself, ' _She's really the one isn't she? I gave her a full blast of my magic and she didn't even collapse...simply amazing_ ' He recomposes himself before speaking a tad bit louder over the wind, "Lucy, i need you to pour that magic back into me. Give it a direction and push it in small quantities. The more you learn to practice the amount of magic you use, the easier it'll become on you when summoning. Over time, it'll cost less and less energy summoning us." Lucy nods as she feels out the overwhelming magic inside of her. She starts to breathe heavier as she directs the warm flow into her arms. Lucy can feel the magic pulling at her, urging for it to be released at once but, she knew she couldn't. Leo flinches when the first wave hit him, ' _Unbelievable_ ', he thought. "Lucy, tone it down a bit more.." he winces as another wave hits him, "I-Im sorry" she breathes. She tries to pull back her magic flow a bit. However Lucy's eyes shot open and she falls over onto her back once again.

Lucy giggles, her body feeling completely exhausted. She didn't hate any bit of it though. Leo quickly moves to her side and looks down at her, face filled with worry, "Lucy, are you alright? I think that's enough for today" She continues to giggle for another moment before clearing her throat and propping herself onto her elbows. "I'm fine, don't worry" she waves him back a bit as she tries to stand up but, she wobbled and Leo quickly grabbed a hold of her. "I think your body says otherwise" he says weakly, trying to fight back a smile. She looks at him in the eyes as he gazes back at her, Lucy smiles weakly, "I'm just tired, Leo. I had a lot of fun though" She closes her eyes as he wrapped his arms under her to carry Lucy home. "Sleep tight, princess"

Lucy's eyes opened slowly, still feeling a bit exhausted from earlier. Her back felt something hard and uncomfortable, then sat up immediately. She looked around the room and realized she had no idea where she was. Lucy winces as she looked at her hands, she felt something smooth and cold like metal. She started wiping her hands onto her skirt to get the dirt off as she got up to look around. Lucy's eyes couldn't see much of anything, but the room held some warmth to it. "Leo?" she mumbles while walking slowly into the dark, feeling entirely nervous. "Leo! This isn't funny! Show yourself!" Lucy looks around the dark room, unable to see anything as she stretches her hand out in front of her. Her fingers bump into large, cold, iron bars and she jumps back slightly. Her throat tightened and felt shivers go down her spine. The room wasn't cold, there was no wind... no, it was from the dark, expressionless eyes that stared at her. She squints and was barely able to see the red hue lingering in them. She tried to speak but no words came out. The eyes continued to stare at her when a sudden low growl echoed in the room. Lucy approached the bars again, having a strange feeling in her gut, almost as if she was being pulled. Those red tinted eyes enticed her, tilting her head to the side without breaking contact, she whispered "who are you?". Another growl echoed, right before she could touch the bars again. Lucy heard feet scraping on the ground coming towards her. The second she tried to move back, an arm lunged at her through the bars and the sound of clanging metal echoed loudly. The creature managed to scratch her left shoulder in the process.

Lucy should've ran from it, screaming but she didn't. Instead Lucy's dark brown eyes were locked onto the red scales that covered its arm. The cut on her arm bled a bit, as it was also dripping from its claw. The claws that were extended towards her, curled back slightly as it pulled its arm back. Lucy looked away slowly towards her arm and noticed that it was her blood. She felt something weird though, a burning feeling that started to flow into her and it didn't hurt but the cut itself ached. The burning feeling inside of her continued as she looked back at the creature before her, It's eyes were now glaring in her direction but, still not anymore visible than before. A few moments passed before a low snarl ripped from its chest, "I found you". The voice was low and rough but, it lacked threat to it. Her body started to feel hotter, Lucy continued to stare at the being in front of her, unable to pull her eyes away. The creature started to get closer to her and she moved back only slightly. Lucy placed her hand over the cut on her arm, wincing from the touch. It finally got close enough to the bars to be a bit more visible, especially its eyes. Lucy took a couple steps towards the bars once again and saw the forest green eyes with a slight red hue to them. Sudden flames bursted around them but, she wasn't frightened. She didn't even run, instead she raised her left arm out towards it. The dark green eyes were still locked onto her brown eyes, almost as if it was staring through her. Lucy felt completely mesmerized, not caring about her situation at the moment but, before she was able to speak, a bright light flashed in between them. Lucy blinked several times as she slowly sat up again, "what was that?" she mumbled tiredly.

She winces a bit, feeling a slight ache in her arm. Lucy suddenly hears a panicked yell in her room. She turns her head to see Leo and Virgo beside her, hearing them more clearly as she blinked a few more times to grasp the situation that was going on. Leo grabs her and pulls her into his arms, "Lucy i was so worried about you" he pats her head gently, not giving her any room to breathe. Virgo moves over, "Are you alright princess?" Lucy pushes Leo away slightly and brows furrow, "uhm, What's going on and yeah im fine Virgo" Lucy felt another burning sensation pulse through her arm and took a deep breath. She can almost still feel the warmth that surrounded her before. ' _Was it a dream? It was so vivid_ ' she thought. Leo pulls her out of her thoughts again, "Lucy, are you sure you're alright? Did something happen?" Lucy looks at him in disapproval, "What is going on Leo? i said im fine, nothing happened, See? look at me, im right here on my couch" Lucy glances up at Virgo, she too had the look of worry all over her face. She started to shake her head as Leo spoke quietly," You should know better than to hide things from me, i thought we got over this after i told you everything" Lucy grimaced, feeling slightly guilty. Leo was giving her a skeptical look, "I felt something wrong, Lucy. I came back and your room reeked of smoke. I started to panic and checked everything, even brought Virgo with me" Leo was now sitting next to her and Lucy placed a hand on his lap, "There's no smoke now and im okay, really.." Leo sighed, not looking at her. He wasn't buying it.

Virgo quickly grabbed a chair and sat beside them, Leo continued to speak, "Even though i smelled it, I saw you sweating so much...and I saw nothing burning, there was no essence of fires anywhere. You didn't even have a fever to be sweating like that, especially since your room isn't exactly above normal room temperature" Lucy thought for a moment, "that is weird though, i don't have any kind of fire magic abilities. How can there be smoke for no reason?" Lucy's eyes widened as she comes to a realization, her dream...she was surrounded by fire but, it didn't hurt. It was a comfortable feeling she couldn't explain. Lucy flinches again, that burning feeling was spreading fast. She took a quick glance at her arm while Leo was talking to Virgo quietly. She gasped, feeling her throat starting to tighten and there it was, a long cut on her arm. Lucy quickly averted her eyes to see them staring at her. Virgo spoke while Leo continued to study Lucy's face. "Could you tell big brother anything that might've happened after we left?" Lucy looked away for a moment, folding her arms slightly as an attempt to cover the strange cut on her arm. "There was a fire in my dream.." she whispered, "I wasn't scared, or in pain. The fire felt warm and welcoming. I-" she trails off and looks at Leo with a pinched expression, confused almost. "I don't know how else to explain it, honestly" Leo sighs as he gently rubs Lucy's back for comfort, "I see...another dream from back then?" Lucy shakes her head, "It was different", she spoke a little louder before sitting up entirely, facing away from them. Leo sighs again and looks at Virgo, "I'll have Virgo look after you for awhile or until you go to sleep. I'm going back to the spirit realm to take care of a few things. Please, don't push yourself and be careful" Leo gives her a quick hug, "Good night, princess" and then vanishes into a bright light.

Lucy grimaces at the pink-haired maid, "I'm sorry...for worrying you guys" Virgo nods and places a hand on Lucy's lap, "its okay, princess. If you don't mind, i heard you and big brother were practicing with your magic earlier? I can share some advice, if you'd like" Lucy looks up at Virgo, suddenly feeling a bit excited, "Sure, of course! please, tell me anything that can help" Virgo nods and shows a tiny smile, "of course, princess" Virgo clears her throat and points to the right side of Lucy's chest, "Your magic is based on this, princess" Lucy tilts her head with confusion, "what?" Virgo blinks and thinks for a moment, "the meaning to your magic, is based on your heart, your feelings" she explains. "Our magic is based on the people we have contracts with, the celestial mages" Lucy nods and Virgo continues, "Based on our said contracts, our magic varies in strength and trust between our owners. It'll determine the outcome when performing our tasks" Lucy sighs, "You guys aren't weapons or tools. Your not suppose to be just used...You're spirits, you have feelings too...and i see you guys as family and friends" Virgo smiles gently and pats Lucy's lap lightly, "It's true though, i knew you guys my whole life, You walked by me and stood there for me. You guys are everything to me. I think, mom would say the same thing" she whispered.  
"I know, princess" Virgo continues, "but a contract, is still a contract nonetheless. Its what defines us as Master and spirits. Without that contract, our keys, nothing can keep us in this world" Virgo stands up slowly and walks a couple feet away, "Our keys, when found...It's what binds us to you. You own us and well do whatever it is our master wishes. What they say, what they ask for...demand, we must do whatever in our power to accomplish it, for it is absolute" Virgo turns to look at Lucy, "Your feelings for us, princess, the stronger it is, the stronger we become. Our entire existence depends on you" Lucy nodded, looking down at her hands. Remembering the bits Leo told her about before...the pain he felt. Not being able to save her mother no matter how much he wanted to. Layla _made_ him promise. A slight tear falls down her cheek. Virgo spoke again, regaining Lucy's attention from the memory. "That session you had with big brother, really took a toll on the both of you. You should be careful when summoning him, he's the most powerful out of all of us. Leo, is your fighter, therefore, it'll cost more magic energy summoning him. He got you to share his magic to prevent you from collapsing as quickly, but there was only so much magic he can spare without hurting you. The longer you keep us summoned with your own power, the more magic it drains from you. Which is why its important to practice with smaller spirits. To build up your magic power and stamina."

Lucy nods in understanding, she started to feel bad putting Leo and Virgo through all those years with her. It must've been exhausting. Lucy looks at Virgo with a small smile. "I see..." she closes her eyes, "I'm sorry...for making you guys look after me for so long..." Virgo stands in front of Lucy, "It's fine, princess. Well do whatever it takes to protect you" Lucy got up from the couch and walked over to her bed, "Thank you Virgo, for everything" Virgo helped Lucy tuck herself into bed. It was only minutes and Lucy fell back asleep, "Good Night, princess" Virgo whispered before she too, disappeared into the bright light.

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 **AN: Onto the Sneak peak preview for next chapter! :3 this is your warning:  
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 _*~Lucy actually felt afraid for once, afraid to find out the truth about what's happening to her. Even though the dark, red flames showed her no harm and even calms her, it already seemed to effect her friends. Everyone was worried about her and whatever was inside her, already hurt Wendy. Gray went to touch her shoulder, when he noticed smoke coming out of her again, "Lucy!" Lucy didn't hear him as she started to fall backwards onto the bedside, her left arm stretching out towards the warmth surrounding her.~*_

 ** _Stay tuned for the next chapter :3_**


	6. Chapter 5: Curiosity

**AN: I'm having so much fun writing this story, bits and pieces just fall into place...anyway...enjoy the new chapter and thank you for the continued support. Also, don't be afraid to drop a review, I'm all ears for thoughts and concerns :3  
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 _ ****Preview spoiler at the end ****_

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Lucy stared out the window, glaring at the gloomy, pouring rain and grumbling to herself while sipping from a cup of hot tea. Virgo and Leo were nowhere to be seen that morning. She was hoping that Leo would return to her with some news about what happened last night. Lucy slid back down onto her bed, with hardly any sleep last night because of the creature that she encountered. It's dark eyes kept flashing into her mind every time she closed her eyes. ' _Who is that?_ ' she thought, ' _Or am i just going crazy and my head is producing weird things to keep me busy_ ' Lucy rolls over on her bed and glances at the keys on her nightstand. There was two silver keys along with her gold ones now. One being the clock constellation, the other was the canis minor. However, as much as she wanted to summon them, Lucy couldn't feel her magic at the moment. Instead, she kept getting that burning sensation pulsing through her arm. She got out of bed and walked towards her mirror and held up her left arm. After she pulled off the band-aid, she noticed the cut was disappearing slightly, only to be replaced by a reddish, black bruise. Upon gently touching it, she winced as a dull ache throbbed from the small touch. Lucy sighs and covers it back up with a white bandage. She quickly threw herself in the bath and got dressed in extra clothing just in case any of it got wet from the rain. Lucy wanted to visit the guild today, considering Gray mentioned how most of the guild members were suppose to be back sometime this week from their jobs.

Lucy slid on her rubber boots, grabbed her umbrella and gave another glare out the window, "Not letting some rain ruin my day", she huffs and quickly walks out her door. Lucy was half way to the guild when sudden thunder roared loudly in the sky, making her jump slightly. She was only a little frightened and started losing her motivation but, she powered through the pouring rain anyway. About thirty minutes later, Lucy finally arrived at the guild, slamming the wooden doors open and quickly closing them behind her as she passed through. Lucy shook out her umbrella and tucked it aside as she glanced up at the quiet guild.

"It's too quiet..." she mumbled before spotting Mira waving at her from the bar. Mira smiled brightly at Lucy and handed her a drink when she approached. "Good morning, Lucy. What brings you in today?" she chimed happily. Lucy takes a sip of her drink before grimacing at the counter, "Its miserable out there...and the quiet guild hall is kind of freaking me out" the white-haired woman chuckled as she leans over to Lucy. "Days like today keep people indoors longer, at least until the worst of it passes. It's dangerous traveling around in this kind of weather. So...as for the quiet, they're grumpy people being slowed down from their job requests...and we kind of had the liquor delivery delayed as well" Lucy smiled lightly before gazing around the room. She noticed a tall, beautiful scarlet haired woman and a twin-tailed, blue-haired little girl nearby. Lucy whispered quietly over to Mira, "who are they?" Mira looks in the direction Lucy was looking at before calling out to them, "Erza, Wendy, come meet the new recruit, Lucy!" Her voice rang quite loud in the quiet guild. Lucy wanted to shrink herself just a bit, feeling her face get flustered.

The two women came over, the scarlet woman had such a serious expression on her face, while the little girl hid herself slightly. "Mira!" Lucy fumbled quietly with her words, "what'd you do that for?..." Mira just smiled and walked away to the back room. "So you're the new girl i been hearing so much about" says the scarlet woman, as she looks over Lucy, "My name is Erza Scarlet, pleasure meeting you" Lucy tilts her head at her and smiles, "It's nice to meet you Erza" She turned her attention slightly to the blue-haired girl, "and who might you be?" Lucy tried smiling the best she could so she wouldn't frighten her. Erza looks down and nudges the small girl closer. The girl squeaked and bows, "I-Im sorry, My name is Wendy Marvell, nice to meet you, Miss Lucy" Lucy chuckles and blushes from Wendy's polite behavior. "Don't apologize unless your sorry for meeting me, Wendy" Erza nods, "Mira!" the white-haired mage returns from the back room and looks towards the ladies at the bar. "What can i do for you, Erza?", "I'm going to need 2 slices of strawberry cake, one for me and one for Lucy" and Erza turns to look at the blonde mage, "A one time offer on me, as a welcoming gift" Lucy smiles, "Thank you! I love sweets!" Wendy's eyes opened widely, " m-me too!" the girls laugh together as another couple of people approached them.

"Finally here today, Lucy. Everything alright?" Lucy took a bite of her cake when she heard Gray, "Yeah, i was busy with Leo yesterday, I'm sorry.." Gray waves his hand at her, "Don't apologize, its alright" Juvia chimes in clinging onto Gray's arm, "Juvia thinks Lucy and Loke would make a great couple" Gray scoffs and Lucy chokes on her food. "WHAT?!" she says loudly, echoing in the room. Lucy sweated a bit and lowered her voice, then looks at Juvia with a panicked expression, "Juvia...no...never going to happen. He's like...a godfather...almost...sort of" Gray sighs and sits on the bar stool with the group. Erza turns to look at Lucy, "What kind of magic do you do, if you don't mind me asking, Lucy" Finishing her cake, she smiles gently while pulling up her brown pouch and then pulls out Leo's key. She carefully twirls it in her hand, "I'm a celestial mage, like my mother. Quite proud of it actually. When i was first told about it awhile ago...i was shocked but then, i realized i can carry on my mother's legacy"

Everyone whispers back and forth as Erza studies Lucy just a bit more, "Learned about it awhile ago? What do you mean?" Lucy turns her bar stool around to look at them, "Well...i wasn't really allowed to know about my magic, nor use it because of the situation im in" She leans her arm on the counter, face pinched, "Even now its risky. Especially since last night, i had Leo and Virgo worried" Wendy walked over to stand by Lucy, "What happened last night, Miss Lucy?" Lucy turned her head to look at Wendy, "i honestly don't know how to explain it...I'm still trying to understand it" Wendy's face scrunched before she walked over to Erza, whispering into her ear. Erza nods and Gray looks over at Lucy as well, "Want to try and explain it to us. Maybe one of us might know?" The scarlet woman looked at Gray then stood up, "yeah, do explain Lucy" She folds her arms and Lucy grimaced. "Well...my dream...or whatever it was. There was a fire, not a bad fire. It didn't hurt, wasn't in pain or scared. It just felt warm and only shortly after, i woke up to see Leo. He was telling me there was strong smell of smoke lingering in my room but, I saw and smelled nothing" The group looked at one another. Lucy turned to move out of her bar stool and looked back at her group, "Look, I'll ask Leo to come here and explain" They nodded.

Lucy composed herself and held Leo's key out in front of her, "Open, Gate of the Lion! Leo!" Nothing happened. Lucy blinked and quickly cleared her throat before repeating herself. Again, nothing happened. Lucy laughed nervously and looked at her key. She felt the warm magic emanating from it but, for some reason, she couldn't feel her own magic. Instead the burning sensation inside her arm pulsed in waves, making her wince. Wendy sighed, "I have a bad feeling..." Erza looked at Lucy, face was serious again, "Is something wrong, Lucy?" Gray smirked, "You sure you're doing it right?" Lucy glared at him before looking at Erza and Wendy, "Yes, i said it properly but..." she averts her eyes. "...maybe he's busy" Erza shook her head in disapproval, "Unacceptable, Lucy. A Spirit is suppose to come immediately when called upon. Something is definitely up" Lucy sighs and slouches back into her stool, covering her her face in her hands. "Today is just not my day" she mumbled. Wendy puts a hand onto her shoulder, whispering quietly, "Miss Lucy, did anything else happen in that dream? Or did something happen while you were out?" Lucy glances between her fingers, seeing the worried look on the little girls face. Her heart clenched, "I-I don't know. I never even told Leo..." She mumbled quietly and her little group crowded her. Lucy shrinks back into her stool as Erza leaned in very close to Lucy's face. If looks could kill...it would be right about now."So, you were holding back something important? Someone that was watching over you and he didn't even notice?" Lucy flinches and stutters between words, "I told you, im not even sure myself what happened. I didn't want him to worry anymore than he has...and Leo did notice that i was hiding something but, he didn't press it" Lucy squeaked as Erza's stare intensified, "Explain."

Sighing, Lucy clears her throat and hides her face slightly under her long, blonde hair, "I...I wasn't alone." Erza backs up but, her face remained unchanged. "There was...someone...something there. It spoke only once to me. At first, it was growling and tried to attack me from behind iron bars" she shivers, thinking to herself what might've happened if those bars weren't there but, she continues, "After awhile, it stopped and told me, 'it found me'. That's when the fire happened and a bright light pulled me out" She doesn't look up at her new friends, instead, she waits to hear them speak. Wendy was the first one to break the silence, as Erza was left to her thoughts. "M-Maybe that's why i smell something weird on you, Miss Lucy" Lucy turns her gaze to the blue-haired girl. "You smelled me?" her voice slightly high and face filled with confusion. Wendy blushed with embarrassment, "I-Im sorry, i didn't mean to. I'm a dragon slayer, so my senses are above normal. I deal with sky magic, so the air around me is my specialty" Wendy looks at Lucy with worry now, "But, what i'm trying to tell you, miss Lucy. There is something clinging to you, something dark and it smells like smoke.." Wendy looks away. "I can barely smell the strawberry and star-fire from you. It almost reminds me of a shooting star on summer night, Miss Lucy. However, that dark smoke inside you, your scent is being smothered" Erza spoke out loud, making the other two girls quiet, "Wendy, is there a way you can help Lucy with your sky magic?" Lucy looked at Wendy, as the little girl thought and shook her head, "I don't know. I can try though" Suddenly looking determined, "Maybe, if i can get rid of the dark smoke from you, cleanse your magic..you'll be able to summon your spirits!" Gray puts a hand on Wendy's shoulder while looking at Lucy. "We can use the infirmary room for isolation, especially since its empty at the moment" Lucy nods her head, "please, don't hurt yourself, Wendy. I wish i knew what we're dealing with but..." she shakes her head, "I don't want you hurting yourself because of me..." Wendy pouts a little bit and puts her hands on her small hips, it was more adorable than intimidating, "You can trust me, I'll do whatever i can to help you" Lucy nods and she pats Wendy on the head. Erza calls over to Mira, "Make sure no one walks into the infirmary unless it is ' _absolutely_ ' necessary" Mira nods and the group headed over to the back of the guild hall towards the Infirmary.

As they were walking, Erza spoke to Lucy quietly, "So why didn't you tell Leo about the creature you saw?" Lucy winced and turned her head slightly away, "He's overprotective. Honestly he sheltered me from everything since i was 10. If...he finds out something like this happened when i only just started using my magic, i don't know what he'll do. He finally opened me up to this world and i don't want to lose it" Erza grimaced and touched Lucy's shoulders, "Don't worry Lucy. I'm sure he'll understand. I'm going to talk to the master about it, maybe he might know something" Lucy nodded her head when a strange thought popped up, She only just started using her magic...and that thing said it found her. Lucy held her hand to her mouth and her eyes widened. ' _The demons_ ' she thought. Lucy shook her head, shaking away those thoughts, ' _that's impossible, it's too soon.._ ' and the group finally arrived to the room.

Lucy carefully pulled herself onto the small bed, Erza, Gray and Juvia sat on the other side of the room watching as Wendy got ready. She hovered over Lucy when she noticed the bandaged arm. "Did you hurt yourself, Miss Lucy?" Lucy looked over at the spot Wendy was looking at and immediately shook her head, "small bruise from when i was out yesterday" Lucy grabbed her covered arm and looked away. Wendy stared at the bandage a bit and shrugged before she held her arms over Lucy's body. "Alright, I'm ready" They both closed their eyes as Wendy's hands started to glow green. Lucy relaxed herself slightly when a sudden burning feeling returned to her arm. Wendy's breathing got heavier and felt something strange coming from Lucy. Wincing, she carefully poured more of her sky magic into the healing. Smoke began to radiate from Lucy and everyone jumped from their seats. Gray was the first one at Lucy's side and Erza was on the other side with Wendy. Juvia stayed behind Gray as they watched the girls with worry. "Juvia thinks something bad is going to happen" holding a hand to her face. Erza eyed intensely between Lucy and Wendy, "Is this the smoke she spoke about?" Gray shot his gaze towards Erza, "probably, whatever it is, it's being triggered by something in Lucy" Erza glanced at Wendy when the poor girl was suddenly shot backwards. Everyone gasped and ran to Wendy. Lucy groaned and was breathing heavily between coughs. "Something is blocking her magic definitely, now to find out what" Erza said with frustration. Gray walked over to Lucy as he placed his hands onto her shoulders. Letting his Ice magic radiate off him, he suddenly felt something burning under his fingers. However he refused to let it bother him, ' _What is heat to an ice mage_ ' he thought. Lucy carefully opened her eyes to see the now shirtless Gray hovering over her. She squealed and pushed him back. "Lucy! now is not the time to mess around!" he yelled as he got up from the ground. "Don't get so close to me when you're clearly lacking clothing..." she trailed off when she noticed Wendy across the room with Erza and Juvia. "Wendy!" she yelled as she carefully wobbled out of bed. She knelt down besides them, quickly trying to help her up. Wendy coughed as sweat dripped from her head. "I-I'm sorry, Miss Lucy. I think...i got most of it though" her voice was shaking. They quickly placed the girl in Lucy's bed while Gray walked over and helped cool down Wendy's body temperature.

The room fell silent as Lucy sat on the bedside. Erza and Gray were exchanging looks. Wendy's breathing calmed down after about 10 minutes. "I'm so sorry..." Lucy whispered towards Wendy, breaking the silence. Gray looked up away from Erza and towards Lucy. "You have nothing to apologize for, Wendy did her best to help you. If we can find anything about what's happening with you, Lucy, we'll do whatever it takes to help" Erza nodded, "I'll go speak to the guild master about this. Keep an eye on them, Gray" He nodded and Lucy bit her lip, "I can't help but feel like this is my fault...I only just joined this guild and i already feel like im troubling you guys..." She sniffles as she tries to cover her tears. Erza placed a hand on her shoulder for comfort, "Lucy, you're our nakama now. We'll always look out for our own, no matter what the case is" Lucy glanced up at Erza, her brown eyes glistening with tears, "I'm so thankful i met you guys.." Erza smiled gently and walked off quickly to the guild office. Gray sighs when Wendy spoke quietly, "Miss Lucy, try...try to use your keys again..." her corner lip picked up as she handed Lucy the little brown pouch. Lucy sniffled and took the pouch carefully, "I'll try" After a few moments, Lucy cleared her throat, "Open, Gate of the Lion, Leo!"

A bright light flashed into the room, revealing the orange-haired male in his usual suit and glasses. Gray's eyes popped and Wendy giggled, "you did it!" Gray stood up and walked over to Leo, "Loke?...You're...a spirit?" he choked out. Lucy stared at Leo only to have more tears fall from her face, "Leo!" she yelled. Leo snapped his head around to see the blonde leaping into his arms. Almost knocking him back, a smirk slid onto his face, "Missed me so soon, princess?" Lucy giggled as she wiped the tears away, "I was so worried! One minute, you were panicking over me the next, i tried summoning you and you didn't come.." Wendy called over to Gray as she explained to him about Leo. He nodded and still couldn't believe that he hasn't noticed.

Leo's eyes widened and held Lucy back slightly, "You tried to call for me? Lucy, What happened?" Lucy frowned deeply, "I don't know, that's what i wanted to ask you. Wendy said something was blocking my magic and i guess she was right" Leo turned his head to the people on the bedside, "What happened?" he breathed, still confused about how he didn't even notice his own master's calling. Wendy straightened herself up, "Lucy told us about what happened last night and i told her she smelled weird...like lingering dark smoke. I only tried to help her. Lucy tried to show us her magic and that's when we noticed she couldn't use it. I was only able to get rid of some of it but, it still lingers..." her nose scrunches, feeling guilty as she averted her gaze. Gray looked at Leo, "Wendy got knocked out for a few when trying to help Lucy. I did whatever i could when they started to smoke and burn up. We don't know whats going on and that's when Erza left to the old man" Leo froze, his body stiffened as he carefully looked at Lucy, "Lucy, i want you to tell me everything..." Lucy's breath stopped and she squeezed her eyes shut..."I can't tell you anything i don't know.." she breathed quietly. Gray stood up and slammed his hand on the wall, "Don't lie to him Lucy! Tell him!" Leo glanced up at gray and glared a bit, "what'd she tell you guys?" Lucy stood up and balled her fists, "I don't even know what i saw Leo!" she grit her teeth, "I saw something...after you left me alone in my room, i woke up in a strange room. Something was there, i don't know what it was. It tried to attack me, saying it found me" a tear slid down her cheek, "If i knew what it was, I'll tell you...i don't want to burden you anymore than i have.." She covers her face from him as she sobbed quietly. Leo went frigid as his expression changed entirely, "I need to go for now and I'll find out what i can" Leo glanced up at Gray, "Tell the master I'll do my own research" and Leo faded into a golden light.

Lucy actually felt afraid for once, afraid to find out the truth about what's happening to her. Even though the dark, red flames showed her no harm and even calms her, it already seemed to effect her friends. Everyone was worried about her and whatever was inside her, already hurt Wendy. Gray went to touch her shoulder, when he noticed smoke coming out of her again, "Lucy!" Lucy didn't hear him as she started to fall backwards onto the bedside, her left arm stretching out towards the warmth surrounding her.

Lucy coughs as she slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a few times and realized she was in that same dark, warm room. Lucy sighs as she carefully stands herself up, holding onto the wall beside her. This time she saw a small candle inside her little area but, the flame was different. It was dark red, barely illuminating the spot. "Just what is this place" she mumbles to herself as she glances around trying to get a better look, ' _Nothing else seemed to change_ ' she thought. Lucy jumped slightly when she heard clanging metal from beside her. Her chest tightened when saw the creature's dark, alluring eyes looking at her. Lucy tilted her head to look at them, noticing it was less menacing than before. The eyes looked more curious and amused this time. She slowly approached the bars, watching her every step when she broke the silence with her shaky breath, "w-who are you?" It didn't say anything. Lucy sighed and turned to pick up the candle. The heat from it was warm but, it should be enough to light up the area in front of her.

She turned back around towards the bars, the creature let out a small growl, almost like a warning. She held the candle towards the iron bars and the creature was barely illuminated, "Wouldn't you like to know?" it hissed. Lucy winced, trying her best not to let it intimidate her. She held the candle higher, as it lit it's face lightly, she can finally see some of the small features on his face. His face fell into a crooked, sinister grin, revealing two sharp canine teeth. Lucy couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from him. He was half-human looking and parts of his face was covered in scales. There was one horn on each side of his head with long, messy locks of dark, salmon-pink hair. ' _So...handsome_ ' Lucy thought and she gasped, dropping the candle in front of her. Why is she letting herself think such thoughts considering the questionable situation she's in? The lit candle rolled towards the bars and the fire didn't even faze. The person chuckles darkly as he leaned in towards her behind the bars. Her eyes darted to the rest of his features when it came into view. His shirt was partially opened, revealing small portions of his chest and abs. Lucy quickly averted her eyes as her cheeks flushed. "Like what you see?", he murmured to her softly. She glanced back up towards his eyes and her breathing quickened. His eyes changed, it wasn't _just_ amused...the lustful, dark, green eyes were looking back her, as if the predator finally caught its prey. He pressed his head against the bars, his claws curled around them, "Why is my little _Star_ so far from me?" he said in an alluringly low voice. It echoed through her ears and her heart jumped. Lucy felt nervous, heart feeling like it was beating out of her chest the longer she looked at him. She slowly approached the bars again, lifting her left arm towards him. A small growl rumbled from his chest as Lucy approached him but he made no effort to move. Lucy very carefully touched the bars as her face was inches from him. She stared into his intense dark,green eyes and none of them spoke for awhile.

Their gaze held strong until Lucy took a deep breath. She moved her hand slightly to touch his hair and her breath stopped when he closed his eyes. For a split second, Lucy thought she heard him purring, the low rumbles that was coming from his direction but, she didn't entertain the thought. Lucy stretched her fingers into his hair carefully, ' _so soft.._ ' she thought. Patting his head gently as Lucy continued to trace down with her fingertips. When she got closer to his face, he leaned in towards her hand. Her breath quickened and tried to recompose herself as she traced her fingers down the side of his face, slowly gliding across the scales hugging his cheeks. Lucy thought it would've felt rough, but it wasn't. It felt smooth, with slight ridges for each individual scale. She continued tracing down to his jawline when she heard him shudder. Just when she thought she can finally relax, his eyes shot open to hers and he grabbed her hand. Lucy squeaked and watched him carefully. His hold wasn't hurting her but, her heart thumped loudly. He snickered, almost as if he too, can hear her frenzied heartbeat. He closed one eye as the other gazed at her while holding her hand close to his face. He slowly stuck out his tongue to lick her fingers and that's when she immediately shoved him back as she pulled her hand away. Lucy glared at him furiously and he looked amused but, slightly disappointed. Lucy was only slightly curious about his intentions. ' _What is it that he wants from me?_ ' she thought. The pink-haired person chuckled quietly to himself, "I'll have you soon, Lucy" Lucy stared into his eyes as he stared right back into hers. Gazes were locked again when the flames suddenly bursted around them. She ran towards the bars and held onto them tightly, "Who are you?" Lucy yelled. He only backed up, giving her a wicked smile when the bright light flashed between them once again.

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 _ **Additional AN: And now...for the amazing cliff-hanging preview...enjoy... :3  
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 _*~ He grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him. Natsu looked at the bruise on her arm before whispering something she couldn't hear. A few moments later he leaned in towards the bars and Lucy saw the heated gaze back in his eyes. Lucy shuddered when she felt the burn inside of her pulsing hotter and faster than before from his touch, it felt like she was on fire from the inside. Their faces grew closer and his eyes closed inches from her. Their heads pressed against the iron bars again as Lucy's breath quickened, completely confused from what he was trying to do. Before their lips could touch, the bright light flashed between them...~*_

 **See you next chapter ;)**


	7. Chapter 6: Whisper me your Name

**AN: ah, the lovely long hours of re-reading, editing these chapters. Always catching mistakes after i submit them though...i cry everytime. Anyway, continuing on with the story...how are you guys liking it so far? Meh? good/interesting? lacking? lemme know in a review X3**

 **There is a temporary mess up in my updates at the moment. Going to be super busy next week and hopefully will be back sometime end of the week but! there is good news. I Will be posting this chapter early, *drumroll* and a double chapter SATURDAY to make up for next week. These next two chapters...are so very long ... X3 look forward to it (^.^)**

 _ **Also Super big shout out to my reviewers (^.^)/ it makes me thrilled to see you guys enjoying my story and i hope to continue that. Always puts a smile on my face when i wake up to see positive feedback.  
**_

 ** _i really hope the rest of you guys are enjoying the read, now onto the the new chapter~ :3_**

 _ ****Preview at the end! ~**  
**_

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Wendy and Gray were watching over Lucy carefully after she passed out again. Gray didn't want the little dragon slayer pushing herself so much especially after the fever she endured but, she insisted she was fine. Smoke started to clear out of the room slowly and Lucy started to groan. Gray shot up from his chair over to her. The door slammed wide open at the entrance of the infirmary, with Erza, Juvia and Makarov walking in. Juvia left earlier to inform them of Lucy's current situation. Erza stood there looking at Lucy, worried and confused. ' _What kind of magic is this?_ ' the scarlet mage thought as Makarov walked over to the blondes side. He too, was worried about Lucy, especially since the demons are out there looking for her. However, if the demons have found her so quickly after a couple uses of her magic, then they're indeed in a more dire situation than anticipated. Makarov had to come up with a plan and soon. Gray looked over at the incoming group and Juvia immediately walked over to the ice mage.

"Juvia apologizes for taking so long. Is Lucy alright?" the water mage looked over to the blonde with worry, "Does Loke know what's going on?" Gray shook his head at Juvia, "No, he left before it happened. I can't call him out, only Lucy can" He glances at Makarov beside them, "Old man, any idea what might be causing this?" he mumbled, trying to control his anger. Gray used a lot of his magic power to cool Lucy down but, it made little difference. At the very least, the smoke cleared for the most part. Wendy's face scrunched, "The dark smoke still lingers over her" she whispered. Master Makarov cleared his throat as he hopped onto the chair for a closer look at Lucy. "It seems things are progressing, for the worst" he said quietly. "How many times has Lucy used her magic?" He didn't take his eyes off the girl, Lucy was trembling slightly between breaths. Gray sighed, "i don't know. All she mentioned was the training she had with Loke the other day. Then yesterday she tried to summon Leo a couple times. She hasn't woken up since" he closed his eyes as he held his hand over his face. "The smoke was heavy, can barely breathe through it...It just came off her body. I tried to cool her down but, her skin kept getting warmer as if she was burning from the inside"

Makarov took a heavy sigh, brows knit as he thought. He heard of demons being able to curse people but, never heard of something like this. Curses were usually most effective from direct contact and as far as he knows, there were none of them nearby. Leo would've informed him immediately if she ever came across them. ' _So what is this?_ ' he thought. Lucy groaned again and slowly fluttered her eyes open. The light temporarily blinded her, as if she was in the dark too long. Holding her hand over her head she looked to see everyone hovered over her. Erza rushed to Lucy's side next to Wendy, as the small dragon slayer moved over to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Lucy, Are you alright? Are you hurt? What happened? I only left for a moment and you already had another attack..." She kept steam rolling questions and the master cleared his throat. "That's enough Erza, we're all worried about Lucy" he turned his eyes towards her, gentleness and worry filled his gaze but, still smiled at her. "How are you dear?" Bowing his head slightly. Lucy blinked and shuffled herself to sit up. She grimaced, feeling nervous having everyone's eyes on her. "I'm sorry to worry everyone again".

Makarov raised an eyebrow at her, still waiting for a proper answer, Lucy cleared her throat."I'm fine. Everything's...fine" She averted her gaze and cheeks began to flush, "It happened again, didn't it?...the smoke" She sighed, leaning her head down. The brown pouch was beside her and the strange burning feeling in her arm pulsed, reminding her it was still there. Lucy's eyes quickly flickered over to her arm, wondering if the bruise changed any. Erza moved closer to Lucy, "Did you see it again, Lucy?" The blonde blinked a few times and looked up to Erza, "Y-yea..." she said quietly. Makarov and Erza looked at each other and Gray spoke, "Did he try attacking you again? The fire...are you sure you're not feeling any of it? Your skin is always burning when the smoke appears" Lucy shifts herself, folding her legs up as she wrapped her arms around them.

"He didn't do anything to me. The fire occurred again before i can find out anything. It seems every time the fire happens, i disappear from that place" She buried her head between her knees. Erza walked over to the wall and leaned onto it while thinking out loud, "You think the demons are doing this to her? That they found her already...?" Makarov jumped off the chair and was heading towards the door, "I don't know. I'm going to see what i can find, until then, keep an eye on Lucy. She is not to leave this town without escort" As he left, Lucy peeked over her arms to see Erza and Gray talking.

Wendy patted Lucy's leg that stuck out closest to her, "Are you alright, Lucy?" Lucy tilted her head towards the blue-haired girl and smiled, "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just worried about everyone" The celestial mage picked up her pouch, slowly pulling up the silver key, Canis minor. She points it in front of her and everyone's attention shifts to Lucy, "Open, Gate of the Canis Minor, Nikola!" A bright light flashed and a white blob popped out. It slowly shifted itself into four legs, a small round head and a slightly bigger body. A bright, orange, cone shaped nose popped out as well. "Puun, puun!" the spirit spoke as it raised its arms towards it's new master. Lucy's eyes widened and she squealed happily. Everyone was speechless until all the girls circled around Lucy's bed, "So cute!" they said in unison. Lucy picked up the small creature and hugged it, "I'm going to call you, Plue!", the creature just continued smiling as it was being hugged. "I guess i can finally make a contract with you!" Lucy said delightedly as she placed Plue back down.

After the contract was made between them, the little, white dog sat next to her. Erza continued to stare at it with awe and Wendy was smiling brightly at it. Gray and Juvia just watched from a distance. "What is that suppose to be?" Erza said quietly, more so to herself. Lucy giggled and spoke, "Its a dog, Erza. The spirit Nikola, is one of mom's silver key spirits. I was curious about my magic, i felt it humming slightly in my hands" Lucy looked down, wiggling her fingers.  
"Interesting..." Erza stood up and started walking towards the door, "If anything happens, let me know immediately, Lucy" Her stare intensified, making Lucy shrink back, "Understood?" Lucy nodded her head quickly as she grabbed Plue into her arms to calm herself down. The door clicked and Gray spoke quietly, "What now?" Juvia leans onto Gray, "Juvia thinks Lucy would be okay by herself for now. Juvia also thinks she needs to rest some more" Wendy looked over to them and nodded, "I think so too, Lucy but, i can stay here if you want" Lucy grimaced at them, "That wont be necessary, i think im going to visit the library later"

Gray walked from the wall towards the door, "Don't be afraid to call out for us, if anything comes up. Yell or shout...something" Lucy smiled, "i will, i promise" They all left the room, one after another until Lucy was left by herself. She closed her eyes and sighed quietly to herself, "I need to do some of my own research"

A week flew by and the guild was as noisy as ever. Lucy shuffled between the library and small in-town jobs that required little to no magic. She was thrilled she was able to use her keys finally after so long. Lucy hasn't even gotten any of the strange visits from that person either. Smiling, she returns to the guild library, piling a bunch of books onto the table. Lucy quickly grabbed the tall ladder and began placing the books away, "Still haven't found anything helpful.." she grumbled. Looking behind her as she climbed back down. In between looking for books to research demons on, Lucy couldn't help but read other books in between. So many books she hasn't read before and others she smiled at, remembering her visits to the Crocus City's Library. Lucy visited the guild library only during her free time and after jobs. She had Plue keep her company during the visits as well. Lucy remembered Leo telling her to practice summoning smaller spirits for endurance and magic build up. Taking that advice, she kept Plue out as often as she could. Over this past week, it became little to no effort summoning the little dog and that made her feel proud.

Lucy got pulled out of her thoughts when she heard someone coming into the library, "Do you need help?" the blonde called out. She saw someone struggling with a pile of books in front of the doorway. Quickly making her way over, she grabbed some of the books off the top pile and saw a short, blue-haired girl behind it. Lucy doesn't remember seeing her around before, "Hello there, thanks for helping me" the girl huffs as she places the books carefully onto the large table. Lucy walks over to her and puts out her hand, "I'm Lucy, its nice to meet another bookworm in this place" the woman turns around and smiles, "Hi! I'm Levy Mcgarden, Nice meeting you too, Lucy" the petite girl looks around, "Looks like i'm not the only one tearing this place apart" she laughs, "Nor have i seen anyone using this library before besides me, except Mira...to clean it though..." Lucy laughs, "Yeah, its the only place of solitude in this noisy guild. I also can't seem to get enough books, ever since i left Crocus. It feels like im suddenly back home, with a smaller inventory to look at" she trails on. Levy laughs with her, "I've been to Crocus only a few times! Oh how i always loved the bookstores there. I've never been to the library though because my job never got me close enough" the girl pouted, folding her arms. "You've got to tell me all about it, Lucy!"

The two girls continued to talk for hours about the books they've read. Lucy and Levy kept throwing titles at each other, while the other recited what they knew of it. "I can't believe we haven't met sooner!" Levy chimed loudly, "This is amazing, You're amazing, Lu-Chan!" Lucy flustered, "You're the only other book worm i met thus far! I'm so happy meeting you, Levy!" Lucy looked around the room while Levy pulled up more books from the pile on the table, "Levy.." Levy looked up towards Lucy, "What is it?" Lucy's face scrunched, "Have you seen any books around here about demons or something related to it? I been going through book after book..." She sighed. Levy pulled off her glasses, studying Lucy for a moment. "Why demons? and i think i might know where a couple of those books are.." She turns around and walks towards the back shelves, "Well...I'm just curious. People talk about them but, I've never read about them" Levy pulls a couple books off the shelf and walks back to Lucy. Lucy watches Levy as the book was flipped open. "What kind of demons are we looking for, Lu-Chan? There's many different kinds, legends, myths...and ones that died over hundreds of years ago. This isn't everything but, its the basics" Lucy turned the book over to her direction and frowned, "Great, i can't read any of this" Levy's eyes shined, "I can, just tell me a description and i can see if i can find it in here!" Lucy nodded and bit her bottom lip.

Levy is the only one that she knew, that didn't know about her situation, taking a deep breath she spoke quietly, "Well, I've been having a strange dream...I don't know why ' _demon_ ' comes to mind but, It looked like one." Levy tilted her head, leaning on her elbow, "A demon visiting you in your dreams..." She snickered, "Not an incubus is it? Those are the most common dream invaders" She wiggled her eyebrows. Lucy flustered and waved her hands in front of her, "God i hope not! Definitely not, he didn't do anything perverted!" Lucy squeaked and covered her mouth. Levy leaned in towards her, "He...so the demon is a he?" The grin on her face widened, "So tell me about, ' _Him_ '" Lucy huffed and crossed her arms, "Well, I don't know his name. I only saw him a couple times" Levy sat back flipping through the book slowly while listening to Lucy, "and...?" Lucy sighed, "well, when i first saw him, of course it tried to hurt me. It scared me...but now.." the blonde stared at the floor, "It made me curious about him. I was able to see his face better the second time. It had horns, one on each side of his head...dark, red scales covering the top of its arms to its claws. Some scales covered his cheeks...and his eyes.." Lucy trailed off, blushing when she remembered gazing into those dark-green, alluring eyes. Levy cleared her throat, "You suuuuure it wasn't an incubus trying to get close to you?" her smirk plastered widely on her face. Lucy stuck out her tongue, "No, it wasn't! I damn well sure would know if it was or not! Levy, have you heard anything about such a thing thought?" Levy giggled and started flipping through her book, "Let's see.." Lucy walked behind Levy and started looking at the book as well.

They spent the next few hours flipping through both books and nothing fit Lucy's description. Levy and Lucy sat back in their chairs sighing. "Don't worry, Lu-Chan, We'll find it eventually.." Levy picked up the books and put it back on the shelves. Lucy looked out the window and noticed it was getting dark, "Maybe, it wasn't a demon. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place for it? I-..." Lucy gasped loudly, "Oh no! i forgot to do the last delivery for today!" Lucy grabbed her books and placed them inside a small mailing back. Levy quickly walked behind Lucy and touched her shoulder. The blue-haired girl eyes popped, flinching her hand back. Lucy didn't seem to noticed and turned around, "Levy, sorry to cut this short but, tomorrow...Let's go back to researching, see you tomorrow!" Lucy ran out quickly and Levy was left there speechless, "Lu-Chan...are you okay?..."

Lucy ran through the streets towards the last house she had to visit. Took her the entire last hour to finish her job on time. Out of breath, she knocks on the door, "Good evening sir, I'm here with your book delivery!" Lucy hands the short man his books and he smiled. "Thank you, dear. Be careful on your way home, It's dangerous to walk alone at night" Lucy waved at him, "No problem, Take care and thank you!" The door closed and Lucy sighed. She turned to look at the ground beside her to see Plue looking exhausted, "I'm so sorry little guy, you can go back now" Plue looked up at Lucy and raised its paw, "Puun, Puuun~" and it disappeared into a bright light.

It was quiet walking through the streets at night. Lucy hasn't done it much this week, especially when she was usually home before sunset. She walked by the park and noticed it was empty. The tree leaves waved quietly in the wind and Lucy decided she was going to take a small break before heading home. She slowly made her way over to the centered tree in the park. Placing her bag down, Lucy leaned her back against the tree and took in a deep breath. ' _This is nice_ ' she thought. Looking up towards the star-filled sky, Lucy smiled, ' _I miss you mom_ '. Lucy closed her eyes and continued thinking quietly to herself, ' _Are you still watching and smiling for me mom? I met so many people since i joined Fairy Tail. They're amazing, despite being so crazy and strange, they're also so warm and caring...but i guess that's their charm_ ' Lucy made a small smile escape her lips as she slowly fell asleep in the cool breeze.

Lucy shuddered before snapping her eyes open. She sat up slowly onto her elbows and looked around...' _I'm back here again..._ ' Her heart drops and realized what that meant...' _Oh no, did i make even make it home? My magic...the smoke'_ she thought. In the middle of her panic, she heard footsteps nearby when sudden metal clanging followed it. Lucy snapped her head in the direction of the bars, the candle was propped up in the same spot again. She doesn't remember picking it back up when she dropped it last time. Lucy stood up carefully and met with the dark eyes gazing at her. "Welcome back, my little star" it whispered. Lucy only stared and made no effort to move closer towards the bars, "Who are you and why am i always coming back to this place?" she said with slight annoyance but for some reason she couldn't put any anger into her words.

The person chuckled and leaned in towards the bars. Head pressing close as his face became more visible. The smirk and amusement was clear on his face, however he didn't speak. Lucy frowned and took a couple of steps towards him, "It's your fault im having these weird things happening to me, isn't it?" She spoke a little louder. Her voice echoed in the room, and he tilted his head towards her, still pressed against the bars, "and if it was?" he responded almost like a hiss. His eyes were losing its amusement now. The pupils were turning into a slit like snake eyes. Lucy took a deep breath and glared at him, "I don't care what you do to me" she breathed angrily, "But it's hurting my friends out there. I want you to stop this!" He snarled at her, "I'm afraid i can't do that" He stepped away from the bars and eventually out of sight. Lucy sighed and slouched down to the hard floor, "You can at least tell me who you are...or why you're messing with me..." she mumbled, clearly annoyed and waiting for his answer. He didn't speak and Lucy groaned, "If you're going to annoy me, you can at least have some manners! Who in their right mind traps a girl behind bars and not even introduce themselves to their prisoners!" she huffed. Still not a word was made. Lucy smacks her hand into the bars and the clanging sound echoed around the room. Filled with frustration she turns around with her back pressed against the bars.

"All i asked for, Is your name.." Lucy closed her eyes, "Please.." she whispered, barely audible. Lucy heard footsteps coming towards her and her heartbeat quickened when she heard him speak right into her ear, "It doesn't matter who i am..." Lucy gulped as she felt a hand press against her back. Lucy's eyes widened, slightly afraid but, why didn't she feel claws? "Are you afraid of me?" It said in a low voice, breathing onto her neck. Lucy shook her head, "More annoyed than afraid honestly" she whispered. Turning her head to look at him. His face met with hers, inches apart. His dark, green eyes bore into hers as his hand slid up to her throat. "Why not?" he hissed quietly between his teeth. Lucy only stared, heart beating out of her chest again. He could kill her right now if he wanted to but, he's hesitating, "I have no reason to be" she breathed. He snarled at her and slowly tightened his grip on her. She coughed when he finally let go. "You should be" he breathed, "You shouldn't be so trusting of things that can kill you on a whim" as he stared back up into her eyes, Lucy shook her head, "It's not that i trust you...You're hesitating when you could've already killed me. You need me for something, which is why im alive, isn't it?" The amusement lit back into his eyes as he tilted his head, "I guess you can say that" A smirk stretched onto his face and he leaned back into the bars again. Lucy can feel his hot breath tickling her, "That's why im not afraid of you" she mumbled, "You won't do anything to me.." she continued on before stretching her hand out to him. "What is your name? If im being kept prisoner, it'll be nice to know who im talking to.." He sighed and put a hand over his face, "Curiosity killed the cat you know.." he chuckles between breaths. Lucy wasn't going to give up and she pressed her head against the bars, her fingers brushed his cheek and he flinched from the sudden touch, "Tell me"

His dark green eyes locked onto Lucy's, searching for something in hers before he closed his eyes. "My name doesn't matter.." he said quietly. Lucy shook her head, brushing his cheek, "please.." she whispered again. He moved back a bit and held onto her hand, when he spoke _almost_ inaudibly, "Natsu..." Lucy's eyes widened, "what?.." He growled with a hint of irritation, "My name...is Natsu" Lucy repeated the name into her head a few times, just to make sure she wouldn't forget it. She smiled up at him when he opened his eyes, "Natsu.." she said quietly, as the name tingled on her lips, "Now, that wasn't so hard. was it?" she cooed while Natsu grumbled, "Stop smiling and don't let it get to your head, annoying girl.." A sudden burn in her arm pulsed, reminding her about the smoke problem. Shortly after, small flames flickered on the ground before it ignited brightly around them. Lucy's eyes furrowed, "I guess im going soon..." she shook her head and patted his head gently, "How can i stop the smoke from hurting people?" Natsu didn't say anything at first until after he stood up away from her, "Do you trust me?" he said when Lucy quickly got up as well. "What does that have to do with what im asking you? Are you going to help me or not?" He looked at her seriously when he held out his hand towards her, "Do you trust me?" he growled this time. Lucy huffed, "Why should i?!" she stared at his hand confused. "Time is ticking..." he hissed. Lucy flinched and grabbed his hand, "Alright fine! I know I shouldn't...i'm probably going to regret this. Now tell me, how do i control that stupid smoke problem?" He grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him. Natsu looked at the bruise on her arm before whispering something she couldn't hear. A few moments later he leaned in towards the bars and Lucy saw the heated gaze back in his eyes. Lucy shuddered when she felt the burn inside of her pulsing hotter and faster than before from his touch, it felt like she was on fire from the inside. Their faces grew closer and his eyes closed inches from her. Their heads pressed against the iron bars again as Lucy's breath quickened, completely confused from what he was trying to do. Before their lips could touch, the bright light flashed between them, Jolting Lucy awake outside.

Lucy raised her hand over her face to block the sun from her eyes. Blinking a few times, she realized there was a crowd of people over her, "You think she's alright?" says a man, "Anyone friends of hers? Did anyone contact her guild?" says an elderly woman. "Miss, are you alright?" says a little girl next to her. Lucy shook her head and tried to get up, slightly wobbling in the legs. People hushed and murmured as they watched the blonde move. "I-Im so sorry!" she bowed. Lucy ran quickly away from them heading towards her apartment as fast as her tired legs can take her. When she finally arrived, Lucy threw herself into a hot shower. Her eyes widened when she saw small, red scales covering the bruise she once had. Quickly getting out of the shower in a panic, she wrapped her arm in a fresh, new bandage and then straight into her bed. She laid down and sighed, thinking about her encounter with Natsu, the strange new marking on her arm and the people from the park. "Damn it.." she breathed. 'If anyone in the guild found out...if Erza.." She shuddered and went pale..."I'm dead.." she gulped. Returning her thoughts back to Natsu to avoid her incoming death thoughts from the scarlet woman, ' _Did he really...almost..._ ' Lucy blushed and squeezed her eyes shut. ' _There's no way he would...i barely know him! He clearly shows that he has way too much fun teasing me and its annoying!_ ' She turned around and huffed into her pillow. ' _...but Natsu almost did, didn't he...why...?_ ' Lucy's face scrunched when his words echoed in her head, ' _Do you trust me?'_ Lucy sighed and shook her head in disbelief, "i should be ashamed trusting someone like that so quickly. All of my friends will hang me for it...and Levy.."" she mumbled before her brows knit, "she is not going to let me live this down if she found out" she said while sighing. Lucy looks over to her bandaged arm and frowned. ' _What on earthland did he do to me?_ '

There was sudden banging on her door, grumbling Lucy got out of bed and answered, Only to see the reaper...Erza Scarlet at the door, with Gray and Wendy close behind. Lucy smiled nervously and fumbled with her words, "Hey...guys...What's up?"  
Erza, Gray and Wendy shoved their way in and Lucy was pushed back onto her couch. Erza grabbed a chair and sat in front of Lucy and glared menacingly, "Explain, Now" Lucy's eyes popped as sweat dripped from her forehead from terror. "I-Im sorry?...I don't..." Wendy squeaked from across the room, "The guild was informed about a blonde girl being surrounded by smoke in the city park." Gray folded his arms, "There is only one blonde who radiates smoke that we know of.." Erza leaned in towards Lucy, their foreheads now touching, "No details left out, Got it?" she growled. Lucy nodded and shrunk back, "Oh...that" she took a deep breath and spoke loud enough that everyone in her room can hear, "He came back...and we talked for a bit" Erza leaned slightly back into her chair, "And? Did you find out who he was?" Lucy averted her eyes and nodded again, "He said his name was Natsu. That was all he told me about himself" Everyone looked at one another and Erza shrugged, "start from the top" Lucy knew from that point, she was in for a long morning.

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 **Additional AN: and now for the preview!~ :3**

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 _*~Makarov jumped off the table and yelled over to the bar, "Mira! Get the lacrima, i need to speak to the council, immediately" the white-haired woman nodded, "of course, master" turning to the backroom. Erza followed Makarov with worry and frustration, "Do you know something about this demon, Master?" Makarov stood there, arms crossed behind his back as he breaths quietly, "E.N.D, the most powerful creation made by the black mage Zeref. Those scrolls are mere drawings of the demons itself, however, the book it was referenced from mentioned him being a fire demon. The destroyer of this world..."~*_

 **See you next chapter ;)**


	8. Chapter 7: Choices pt 1

**AN: Now we're getting down to business...*popcorn ready* This is a really long chapter, next one being slightly longer...i couldn't keep everything in one chapter...XD lols i apologize for splitting this up...BUT IT HAD TO BE DONE! So much is going on at once everywhere...but its definitely worth it... hehe X3 Enjoy the new chapter  
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 ** _**Since this is a double-chapter night, Preview will be in the next part.**_**

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 **In Tartaros:**

Mard Geer is walking through the dark halls towards his Master's Bedroom. Barely glancing at anyone he came across but, one person remained stuck in his mind. Mard is a man that usually allows nothing to bother him, nor interrupt his work. That person being the Dark mage, Silver. Despite the many years working with him and despite Silver's life being under Keyes control, The demon slayer had too much freedom to be wandering around unsupervised. Mard was against the idea of having a Demon slayer be apart of a Demon's palace but, His Lord, E.N.D had other plans for him.

Mard scoffed to himself, ' _Just what is he planning?_ ' he stopped all thoughts when he arrived upon his Master's chamber. He opened the grand, doubled, wooden doors and saw his master across the room, glaring through the arched window. Despite his loud entrance into the room, E.N.D made no notice of his presence. Instead, Mard heard him mumbling something under his breath, even his sharp demon hearing, couldn't make out the words. Clearing his throat, Mard spoke, "My Lord, I apologize for bothering you. However, i may have brought you some news. There was a spotting of a blonde, celestial mage in Magnolia". He bowed slightly while stealing a glance upwards, awaiting his reaction. The demon lord didn't speak, instead he snarled quietly and started walking out of his room.

Mard glowered behind his Master, hated the feeling of being ignored but as quickly as that feeling came and went, he followed E.N.D out of the room. Down the dark corridors, Mard glanced upwards almost sneering, "My Lord, shall we proceed with the Retrieval Mission?" The lord turned around the corner of the hallway and reached a large, dimly lit room. The demon smirked slightly, "something like that.." Upon entering the large, circular room, across it was The Necromancer, Keyes and the Small, cyclops demon Franmalth, working on the computers. Only the small cyclops averted his eyes to see his master and Mard approaching. Mard kept his distance at the foot of the small steps as E.N.D walked up and glanced towards the screens. Franmalth was cackling with excitement, "What has brought our master here in such a good mood, Hades-Sama?" Mard glanced at the cyclops demon and snickered, "Our Master has found his little ' _Key_ ' in the clutches of a guild and we just found out the city location as well" Franmalth clapped his hands, merely jumping "Oh is that so? How many souls is it going to cost them, i wonder.."

The demon lord ignored their useless talk as he continued to stare up at the projected monitors. His eyes locked onto the small city centered in Fiore, Magnolia and his smile grew wide. Without turning away, E.N.D called out to Keyes, "Set our destination to the city, Magnolia. We have a package to pick up" Snickering he starts to walk away when Kyoka and Seilah arrived at the doors, "Master...It's time. The story is about to get fun i believe.." Seilah bowed elegantly while holding out her small hand. Kyoka smiled slyly, "During the last session, it seems our lord has grown a little too soft" He glowered as he walked passed them, "Don't start with me, you know exactly what im trying to do. Let's go, my little star needs one final push.." he chuckles darkly as the two female demons followed him closely behind.

Seilah looked up to Kyoka and spoke quietly, knowing their master can hear, "I think this will be one of my new favorite tales to tell again and again. Kyoka, you heard the story about the demon who burned down everything in search of his lost key? It's brilliant isn't it? Despite his long awaited efforts, he shall be rewarded" Kyoka glances upwards towards her master, "It seems like a fascinating story. While I prefer to get straight down to the point" The elegant demon hummed with her eyes closed, "Mmm, about which part, Kyoka?" The demonic woman sneers, "That girl has no idea...that the ' _man_ ' luring her towards the shadows, is the demon that killed her mother" Seilah continues to hum quietly, "Watching her throw herself at a demon so willingly, its sinful..." Kyoka continues watching E.N.D from behind, "Once he claims her life essence, it'll be complete"

Seilah smiles darkly, "So our master has no choice but to charm the naive girl. We need that key to be moving on its own accord. No one will dare interfere with his plans. Once that key opens the gates to the sacred flames, it'll burn down this world to a pile of white ash...A beautiful ending."  
Kyoka sighed loudly, "If the girl ever finds out about her mother, it could cause a problem..." E.N.D snarled, "If she finds out...I'll personally hold a cremation ceremony for everyone involved"

They reached the doubled, arched doors, lined in black and gold paneling. When the doors opened, the room looked like a small throne room and was brighter than the rest of the castle because of the giant lacrima centered in the room. A large black and gold chair was placed a few feet in front of the lit magical orb. Kyoka and Seilah took their usual places around the lacrima, while E.N.D started to light the candles with his dark, red flames. A magic circle under the lacrima lit up and he took his spot at the closest center. The two female demons held out their arms and started chanting loudly, while he sat and closed his eyes. ' _So close, my little shooting star_ ' A grin spreading wide, ' _Once you're mine, there is no going back for you..._ ' Dark flames ignited around him and circled around as the lacrima lit up even brighter, blinding anyone that comes near.

Back with Franmalth and Keyes, the little cyclops demon walks back and forth muttering, "When we succeed, you think the master will allow us free reign to take souvenir's? All those souls that'll be open for the taking" He starts clapping loudly and types quickly back onto the computer. Keyes ignored his excessive yapping as he continued his work. The computer prompted loudly on a speaker, " _ **Destination Course, Now Set to: Magnolia of Fiore.**_ "

Franmalth frowned heavily, "You know, That also means you'll have more experiments to play with...Speaking of which, where is Silver-Sama?" Keyes sighed heavily and barely spoke above a whisper, "What Silver does is not of our concern, however, if he's needed here, I'll summon him" He started walking down the small stairwell and towards the exit as he spoke again in the same solemn tone, "however, it would indeed be more interesting to have more subjects at my disposal". The door closed on his exit and Franmalth chuckled, "Now we're getting somewhere..." he turns around and continues working on the computer, lights flashing brightly when a certain blonde's face appeared on the screen, ' _Target Capture: **Lucy Heartfilla** '_.

 **Meanwhile...**

Lucy slumped against her door when they finally left her apartment, barely alive. Erza really chewed her out this time. Almost quite literally. Lucy told her ' _almost_ ' everything about her encounter and after with the park incident. Lucy's face scrunched with worry though, "why would Erza tell me, to make sure i take a cold shower?" She shook her head, "ill never understand her entirely will i?"

Lucy stared up at the light on her ceiling when a certain disturbing thought came back to her mind. Getting up, she grabbed some clothes and went straight into her bathroom, locking the door behind her. Despite being home alone. Pulling off the bandage carefully, she glanced over at her now red, scaly patch on her arm that a bruise once resided. She touched it carefully, barely brushing her fingers over the spot. Lucy winced, that burning feeling throbbed before fading out in small waves under her skin. ' _What'd he do to me?_ ' she thought, even though she is indeed worried and slightly scared, Lucy couldn't help but want to know more about him. Someone that claimed he can kill her whenever he wanted...suddenly becomes a somewhat curious fellow. Lucy didn't know what to call his personality. He has such an icy glare but, then it changes into fiery, amusement. Curiosity struck her at ever corner for Natsu. ' _What is he?_ ' Her thoughts started scrambling everywhere as she bathed. Thoughts such as, ' _Is he human? Is he a demon? Is he both?_ ' Sighing, she lets her body soak in the tub for an hour before finally hopping out. One final thought stayed stuck in her mind however, ' _What made him almost kiss me?_ ' Her brows furrowed with annoyance and confusion. ' _Who does he think he is? Next time i see him...wait...Next time?_ ' She smacked her forehead a few times with her hand, ' _Why am i even thinking of a next time, this is bad, bad, bad..._ '

Lucy threw on her fresh clothes and was getting ready to head back to the guild. Erza claimed she was going to get the headmasters opinion about the situation and Lucy had to be there at the guild.

 **At the guild master's office...**

Erza sat in the chair closest to Makarov's desk, face stern, arms folded. Makarov stared outside with a blank expression, waiting. Erza's eyes darted to the scrolls laying on his desk. The parchments are tightly knotted at the strings before returning her attention back to the small man.

"Is there anything at all that can help Lucy?" voice slightly shaking, Even though the demons didn't scare her, It was Lucy that she feared for. In all her years at the guild, going through countless dangerous jobs. Nothing like this ever came across her path. A unknown entity found its way to her friend, doing things to her and not being able to do a thing about it.

Makarov sighed and turned around, eyes glued to the scrolls, "We'll have to contact the council soon if the situation gets worse. These scrolls here, is all i have. Have Lucy identify what she saw and report back to me, although i might fear for the worst" His brows knit, hands folded behind his back. Makarov hopped off the chair and looked up at his bookshelf, looking for something. Erza cleared her throat and stood up, "Very well, if anything should happen to come up, please let us know immediately" the old man nodded and waved Erza off as he let his thoughts consume him.

' _If it's anything that i fear, we have a bigger problem ahead of us. A demon entering that girl's mind shortly after using her magic..._ ' he shakes his head and turns back to his desk. He held a hand to his chin and continued to think, ' _A demon that caused the girl's body to radiate smoke, burning hot to the touch..literally_ ', His eyes squeezed tighter as he continued to think further on the current details, ' _Demons of Tartaros...Tartaros..._ ' his eyes opened, ' _Where have i heard that name before_ ', He walks back to his bookshelf and pulled out a few heavy books. Flipping through them slowly, Makarov's eyes stopped on a single page, ' _Zeref's demon books...Created a place for them to reside named Tartaros. The demons were once all books created 400 years ago for reasons unknown. However, the demons all held special, unique curses and all being more powerful than the previous. The final book he created before his sudden disappearance on earthland, was still being questioned. Whether or not the existence of the book is true, it is said to be Zeref's most powerful and perfect creation. No one ever found the location of Tartaros, for it is forever on the move and away from curious eyes._ '

Makarov grumbled a few words to himself, agitated slightly. ' _Even though the council labeled it as a dark guild, it's claimed to never be seen. What is the council hiding from us?_ ' His eyes continued darting through the lore of the dark past until he came across a reference for the Unknown demon book. Makarov suddenly slammed the book shut and ran downstairs towards the guildhall, ' _those scrolls, were from Tartaros!_ ' he yelled loudly in his head, ' _i only have those scrolls because someone dropped them off here and left before i can see them. I knew something felt off about them but, i never would've thought..._ ' He jumps off the railing and everyone in the guild averted their eyes to their guild master. Makarov continued grumbling, ' _The most powerful demon is in those scrolls but, which one is it? i never opened it because...'_ he watches as Lucy Heartfilla walks down to a table with Erza, Gray and Wendy.

Soon as everyone sat down, the guild master hopped onto their table and Erza remained standing, "Master, Is something wrong?" their eyes remained on him while Makarov looked straight at Lucy. Frowning, he picked up the scroll from the table and walks over to her. "Lucy, my dear, how are you today?" a small smile held on his face that didn't meet his eyes. Lucy looked over at everyone around her and grimaced, "Hello master, and im fine. Thank you" her eyes averted to the scroll in his hand, "Did Erza tell you everything?" He nodded and Gray leaned over on the table, "Lucy, mind if i check something?" Lucy glanced at him, "Uhm, sure?" the ice mage got up and walked towards her. Putting out his hand slowly he touched her shoulder, only a couple seconds passed and he flinched backwards, shaking his hands with disbelief. "Geez! Erza, you weren't kidding...i reinforced my fingers with ice and it still burned me" He looked back at Lucy with a pained, worried expression, "Lucy, are you sure you're alright? Your body is scalding hot..." the celestial mage covered her face with one hand as the other leaned onto the table. "y-yea im fine..." Makarov stared at her, only solidifying his conclusions. The last page he looked at, referred to the scrolls he had in his hand. A fire demon, was one of the few description it had for the final book.

Lucy looked through from her one exposed eye back to her guild master, "Is there any news about what's happening to me?" She bit her bottom lip and moved her hand away from her face, then folded her hands onto her lap. Makarov nodded, "somewhat..Lucy, i need you to look at this scroll here. Tell me, which one is it that's been approaching you in your dreams?" she darts her eyes to the scroll that's now placed in front of her. Erza sits down across from her, Gray sits beside Lucy and Wendy had the other side of her. They're all awaiting to see who their enemy is. Lucy picked up the scroll and opened it slowly, fingers fumbling with nervousness, "What is this.." she mumbled. Makarov sat on the table in front of her, "Its a few scrolls i had from awhile ago. It might pinpoint the culprit, Just call it a hunch, dear" She nodded and flipped through the old tattered papers. Her eyes widened, while Makarov glanced over as well. Her fingers traced down the paper, reading quickly as she sift through. "Zeref's demon books?..." she whispered, more so to herself and she continued, "I don't see how..." and her heart dropped. Lucy felt her throat tighten when she dropped the scroll back onto the table and her eyes remained locked on the red scaly figure. "it...it cant be.." she breathed heavily. Her body suddenly felt hotter but paid no attention to it. Her mind flew through dozens of different questions. Makarov's eyes darted to the place Lucy immediately shot her fingers from. Almost if she burned herself from the touch. He watched as the girls eyes went crazy with panic, worry and...confusion.

Makarov whispered to her quietly to finish his confirmation, "Lucy, do you see it here?" the blonde mage almost missed hearing his words. She looked into his eyes and shook her head slightly into a nod, "y-yea" she attempted to calm herself down to speak but somehow wasn't able to make it any louder. Lucy was conflicted, this whole time...she spent with that person...demon, turns out to be one of Zeref's demon books? ' _My name...is Natsu_ ' his voice echoed in her head and she squeezed her eyes shut. Those dark, green eyes with the red hue flashed in her mind. Her breathing picked up, ' _it can't be..._ ' she thought and shook her head furiously, not realizing she had people watching her with concern. ' _You shouldn't be so trusting of people that can kill you on a whim',_ his voice continued _, ' I'll have you soon, Lucy_ '

Her eyes shot open and her hands slammed onto the table, tears falling down, "Master, what's going to happen to me...if i see him again?" Panic filled her voice and Erza spoke loudly, "what's going on? Lucy, which demon is coming after you?" Lucy didn't move her head and she slowly pushed the scroll towards the scarlet mage, pointing to the red-scaled figure. Erza, Gray and Wendy eyes darted to the figure and fell into loud gasps, "That's...Natsu?"

Makarov stiffened, "Erza, you knew of the demon's name?" Erza's eyes darted to the old man and paled, "I apologize, sir. Everything keeps coming all at once, i am terribly sorry i let that slip by.." Makarov waved his hand at her, "Don't worry yourself about it, Erza. Right now we have a crises on our hands" His voice began shaking, "I feared for the worst and it happens..." he mumbled under his breath. Lucy darted out of the guild and Gray ran after her, yelling on his way out, "I'll go after Lucy, you guys figure out what we're going to do!" Wendy looked over to the guild master with worry and concern, "What's going to happen to Miss Lucy?" she whispered.

Makarov jumped off the table and yelled over to the bar, "Mira! Get the lacrima, i need to speak to the council, immediately" the white-haired woman nodded, "of course, master" turning to the backroom. Erza followed Makarov with worry and frustration, "Do you know something about this demon, Master?" Makarov stood there, arms crossed behind his back as he breaths quietly, "E.N.D, the most powerful creation made by the black mage Zeref. Those scrolls are mere drawings of the demons itself, however, the book it was referenced from mentioned him being a fire demon. The destroyer of this world..." his voice grew quiet and Erza balled her fists, "No way...There's got to be a mistake!" she said loudly.

Her voice echoing in the now quiet guild hall. All eyes locked onto them and yet Erza pays no mind to them at the moment. "You're telling me, _that_ demon is hanging around Lucy?" Her pupils became smaller as her anger begins to boil over, "and she merely laughs and shrugs it off as nothing..." her voice became terrifyingly low. Makarov turns to look at the fuming mage and speaks sternly, "Calm down Erza. You do realize that Lucy had no idea, She has no idea of which demons that killed her mother and are now in pursuit of her. She has no idea that it could possibly be the same demons. Lucy is being strong, holding her head up high when she can be very darn well terrified" Erza closed her eyes, teeth gritting. Shoulders relaxed but, only slightly. "...And how is the council going to help us? They don't lift a finger without a benefit for themselves" Her eyes lowered to the ground, resting her arm on the column beside her, trying to calm herself down. Taking a deep breath, Erza spoke, "If those are the same demons that killed her family, Why are they keeping her alive?" Makarov started walking back up the stairs before speaking, "I wish i knew" Makarov reached his office and closed his door. With the lacrima on his desk, he starts to glower at the small orb. Balling his fists with anger, "No one is going to harm _my_ children from under _my_ nose..." he seethed.

Lucy was running, tears streaming down her face. Gray was slowly catching up to her, "LUCY!" he yelled from down the street. Everyone they ran passed, were shaking their heads, "A lover's quarrel?" said one old woman and the other woman, slightly younger, held her hand to her face with worry. "Poor girl, the guy must've done something quite terrible to make her cry like that.."

Lucy tripped over a hole in the ground. Gray grumbled, "Ice make: Floor!" an ice sheet shot from under him as he touched his hands to the ground. He slid his body over, skating over the ice and barely caught Lucy in time. Lucy and Gray were heaving heavily, catching their breaths. She looked up at him and with the little strength she had left, pushed herself away from him. Gray let her go, only hoping she wouldn't run off again. "Lucy, please, talk to me. What's bothering you? Why'd you run off like that and not stop when someone is calling for you? Really...you're impossible" Lucy gritted her teeth and glared at him, "What do you know!" she yelled. Tears stinging her puffy, red eyes, "You're not the one waking up to a smoke filled room or whatever is going on with me!" her body started shaking and Gray tilted his head, he wanted to comfort the poor girl but, had no idea how.

Juvia would be fuming right about now. He shook his head to rid the thoughts and tried focus on what's hurting Lucy so much, "Lucy...then explain it. Come let's get back to the guild" Lucy shook her head, "How can i explain that burning feeling inside me every time i think about him. Every time he touched me...i felt it..pulsing through out my entire being" she tries to wipe her tears, "Says he can kill me whenever he wants but doesn't. Instead he spends whatever time i have in there, teasing me and doing strange things i cannot understand" her voice cracks as she looks up at him, scared, "Gray, what...would you do?" He puts his hand out to her, "I don't know.." he whispers, placing his other hand on his head. "Honestly, if some creep bothers me in my dreams, I'd freeze them out of there. That pyro-freak that's aiming for you, I'll freeze him too" He nudges Lucy's shoulder and snickers. "how about you just try to explain it to me then, while we head back?"

Lucy took his hand and grimaced, "I'm sorry.." she mumbles, Gray looks at her with a grimace, "You really need to stop apologizing after every little thing that goes wrong. I'm just trying to help you..." Lucy shook her head, "That's not what i meant...I'm..." Lucy stumbles between words when she suddenly collapses into him. "Lucy!" he yelled but, she was already gone.

The celestial mage groans as she slowly grabbed a hold of her throbbing head. After a few moments, she blinks a few times, looking around the now lit room. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the all too familiar bars in front of her and the dark, red flames lit onto every candle in the room. Lucy wasn't in a cell at all, She was locked inside of a large, iron cage. Lucy got up slowly and walked towards the bars in front of her, "Natsu...?" she breathed quietly as she looked around. The tall, stone walls had maroon tapestry lining them. Centered on the opposite end of the room was a black canopy bed, lined with dark red and gold linen. Lucy looked down and tilted her head when she noticed the tiles on the floor. A massive, black circle with the same dark red flames and gold lettering etched around it. The center of the tiling had a large red-scaled dragon breathing fire upwards. She was so distracted by the interesting design, Lucy didn't hear the footsteps coming towards her. Natsu smiled as he watched the girl staring curiously at his floor before flicking his fingers onto the iron bars. The sound echoed loudly, startling her. Lucy looked up only to move back away from him. He didn't like that.

He walked closer towards the front the cage, step by step until his head touched the bars. Natsu tilted his head at her, face drooped slightly, "What has you so scared, Lucy?" he said in a low voice. Lucy looked up at him, avoiding his eyes. She only just now noticed his appearance. The light in the room showed everything. The picture she saw on the scroll was accurate enough, there was no mistaking it. He is indeed, E.N.D.

Lucy moved further back inside of the cage, slid down entirely and finally felt afraid. This man, this demon...she couldn't believe she let herself get so close to him. To touch him like that. What bothered her more, is that he let her. Despite the small threats he made towards her, he didn't do anything to reinforce them. Lucy stared at the ground after finally pulling her gaze away, hearing Natsu growl slightly but, gave him no attention. She spoke quietly, barely above a whisper, "What is it you want from me?" His eyes narrowed, and his frown pulled up into a wicked smile. "Isn't it obvious, my little shooting star?" He kneels down in front the cage, holding himself up on the front soles of his feet. Still smiling, Lucy only glanced at him. His red-scaled tail curling behind him, the wings folded back. The only difference was his claws were still retracted to look like human hands. She cleared her throat, "Why didn't you tell me? I'm sure you can answer that at least..."

Natsu's brows furrowed with actual confusion, "Tell you what, exactly?" Lucy changed her stare into a glare, he somewhat flinched back. Didn't expect this little blonde to pick a fight with him. His smile turned into a grin, flashing his canines at her, she spoke a bit louder with irritation.

"Why didn't you tell me what you were, Natsu" He cackled and stood up, "What i am?" he repeats back, "Will it actually change anything if you knew? Will you still look at me with those curious eyes, Luce" Her breath hitched, Now he's having the audacity to give her several nicknames. She's trying her hardest to rip answers from him but, he continues to tease her. She's getting tired of it. However, he had a point, 'W _ould it change anything if she knew?_ ' Lucy slowly stood up but, made no effort to move towards him. Her eyes locked onto his. Natsu's face was filled with amusement, as well as curiosity for her answer.

"Possibly" she said. Lucy tried searching his eyes for something, anything that can help her find something wrong with him. He's a demon, she should be beyond terrified. ' _I found you_ ' was his first words to her. It rang in her head, like an alarm. The demons that been searching her, was he the one?

Lucy bit her lip harder than normal, piercing her lip slightly from nervousness. Small droplets of blood coated her lips and she averted her gaze. Turning around she spoke, "You could've told me, it could've changed things" He continued grinning when he spoke, "Change what exactly?" Lucy sighed, "I don't know...It could've also not change anything, Natsu" She turned her head halfway towards him, glaring, "Or should i say, E.N.D?" His grin fell and his eyes turned into slits again. Natsu's back straightened and he snarled, hands curled around the bars tightly, knuckles turning white from the hold. Lucy only just then finally took notice of his height. Natsu easily can tower over her, making her feel even smaller. His eyes pierced through hers with an icy stare, teeth baring down at her, "What do you know about me?" he hissed. Lucy placed her hand over her left, bandaged arm and looked at his red glowing eyes. "How about you answer one of mine first, Natsu?" she said bitterly.

 **In Fairy Tail's Infirmary...**

"Gray, cool her down faster! She's burning up again!" Erza yells as Wendy was running back and forth. With soaked towels and hot water buckets in both of her small, little hands. Juvia was sitting beside Gray, assisting him with her magic and to also help cool down Lucy. Gray grumbles loudly, "I'm trying, Erza!" He's releasing so much ice magic, the room was literally frigid now. However, her body continues to burn from the inside. Erza grips her fists tightly at the sight, frustrated and angry. She hated feeling useless. The second they find out where Tartaros is, she's going to make them pay. Fairy Tail spares no one from it's wrath when their nakama is in harm's way. Gray too, felt angry and frustrated. He never had to try so hard to cool things down without freezing the object. This situation though, the amount of ice magic he's been using, SHOULD have froze her, but it didn't. It didn't even drop her temperature by a degree. Levy sat in the back of the infirmary, tearing, "Lu-Chan...please be okay..." she said in between sniffles. She looked up over at Gray then to Erza, "Don't pressure him, you can see he's trying his best, Erza". Erza let's out a heavy sigh, "I know" she says between her teeth, before glowering over at the bed. "Damn it, Lucy! You can do this, Fight him!" she said loudly. Everyone just stayed silent as they watched the poor celestial mage being once again trapped by the fire demon.

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 **Continued in Chapter 8: Choices part 2**


	9. Chapter 8: Choices pt 2

**AN: Well then...*fans self* things are certainly getting interesting in this chapter. I'm trying my best writing different perspectives in the same instance. Challenging but, definitely will keep working on it. Don't hate me :'(  
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 **Anyways, feel free to drop a review and thank you so much for the continued support ( ^.^ ). I really hope you guys are still enjoying the story. Im trying my hardest to keep it interesting.  
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 **Next chapter is set for when i return, hopefully. Until then, I'll see you guys next time for Chapter 9: The Destroyer is coming... ;)  
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 ****Preview at the end****

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 ***Continuing back with Lucy and Natsu...***

The blonde girl looked back at him with the same icy stare. She left no room for joking from the tone of her voice but, that doesn't stop him from trying. Natsu felt the bars softening under his touch. The heat radiating off of him should've ignited a fire around them but, he can control that. Natsu snarled and shook the cage in his grasp. Lucy remained unfazed as the cage slammed back down, shaking the floor.

Lucy straightened her posture, her eyes narrowed and started walking towards him. He continued to bare his fangs at her, snarling the closer she got. Lucy stopped a foot away from the bars and completely in arms reach. Natsu let's one of his hands free and stretches towards her slowly, expecting her to back up. The celestial mage grabbed his hand and raised it to her throat, "If your tired of playing these games, Natsu...Just do it, if not, Start talking. What is it you want from me?" His slit eyes returned back to normal, his body temperature dropped slightly. ' _This girl_ ', he thought. His snarls stopped and he made no attempt to move his hand, although it remained close to her neck as she continuously glared at him. Her fingers however, were trembling, her resolve was weakening. Natsu moved his face closer to the bars and tilted his head slightly. Her dark, brown eyes started to soften the more he looked into them. "What i want, is you" he said in an alluringly low voice, "I need you, Luce" His gaze softened entirely. Lucy's breath quickened and dropped his hand. She averted her eyes and a small pink blush tinted her cheeks. He snickered, ' _Is that really all it takes?_ ' he thought, ' _so close.._ ' Natsu grabbed a hold of the bars again, strengthening his grip onto them once more. A loud metal creak echoed.

Lucy stared at the floor, her body started heating up. No matter how hard she tried to hold her ground, she caved all the same. He gets under skin every time, the tone, the words he uses, it makes the inside of her head feel fuzzy. Natsu still continued to avoid the actual question, He wants her, she knows that. ' _But what for?_ ' she grits her teeth and the burning feeling continued to pulse in waves under her skin. The closer he got to her, the hotter it felt. Every time he touched her, She felt like she was on fire. ' _What is he doing to me?_ ' Lucy flinched, hearing the the twisting metal sounds deafening her ears. The echo of the room made it louder than it should've been. A sudden loud snap was made and metal clanged onto the floor. Her eyes darted towards Natsu, only to have paled from the sight. The bars broke and there was nothing separating them now. Lucy didn't move, she felt locked in her spot as she stared at his canine-baring grin. His eyes narrowed to her and her heart thumped loudly. Natsu's eyes were dark, can barely see the green as he walked to her inside of the cage. She felt herself inching back even though she couldn't feel her legs. Lucy tried to speak but somehow she lost her voice. He held his hand out to Lucy, moving slowly to her until he grabbed her left arm.

The blonde mage squeezed her eyes shut, afraid of what he's going to do to her. There was no separation, the fire combustion isn't showing up. Nothing was going to save her now. That's what she thought until she felt his hands coiling around her arm. Opening her eyes, she saw him completely in front of her. With only an inch of space between them. She can feel the heat radiating off of him in waves. It felt comforting. Lucy sighed, leaving her breath shaky as her heart continued to thump rapidly.

Natsu glared at the bandage covering her arm. An offending piece of cloth covering his mark on her. He moved his hands slowly to avoid startling Lucy and began unwrapping it. He can hear her trying to shift away slowly, though it only encouraged him to grip tighter. Natsu took a glance at her, Lucy's eyes were staring at her arm, "Why'd you cover it?" he said in a low voice, almost like a whisper. Lucy bit her lip as she flickered her eyes up at him. Natsu sighed quietly and tried to relax. His eyes went back to her arm and he pulled it up close to his face. Closing his eyes as he smelled her scent and felt the heat radiating through. She spoke quietly, "I don't know. Something told me to cover it, i didn't want anyone to see it" Natsu snapped his eyes to hers and frowned, "Want no one to see? What is it you're afraid of, Lucy?" He made that mark on her to show the world she was his. No one in this existence can leave such a mark on her except him. That was his magic he was sharing, It also gave him the advantage to find her. Natsu can feel her out if she was nearby. The fire magic pulsing through her was burning away anything it came into contact with. Natsu was amazed by it, never knew anything that can withstand his flames, let alone a small girl. Normally it'll burn the victim to death and if they got away, it'll leave deep, permanent burns. However Lucy, was indeed different, she doesn't seem fazed by the fire inside her. She was his personal burning star.

When he was told about the plan from Kyoka and Seilah, He didn't want nothing to do with it at first...

 ***Small flashback***

The two female demons stood at the doorway of the throne room. E.N.D grumbled, not in the mood to be bothered anymore today. He spoke loudly, voice filled with irritation, "Why are you here?"

Seilah opened the door and E.N.D snapped his head to them, glowering. "I believe i may have found a solution to your problem, Master" Kyoka placed a hand onto her shoulder and smiled darkly at her lord, "A very, interesting story can unfold if you listen to her, Master" He continued to glare when he spoke a tad bit quieter, "I'm listening"

The two female demons smiled when approaching him very slowly, Seilah raised her hand up to the air as if she was holding something, "One of my stories showed me something, spoke with so many words and asked to help. You see, i can make your fantasy come true, Master. You can walk through the dream realms, if you're open to it and you'll find her that way, the Heartfilla you yearn for so much..." Kyoka smiled down to Seilah, "It might take a few tries, Master. However, i have most confidence you'll find her. There's only so many blondes you can go through. Burn them down one by one. The one that remains standing, holding your flames will be the one" She slyly smiled at E.N.D, while staring into his eyes. He snarled, flames began to flicker around him, "Now why should i waste my time with that if i can just go out and take her?" Seilah walked in front of Kyoka, "Now, now even if you did that, Master, The ritual won't work. You'll have to do it right if you want those sacred flames" E.N.D got up and walked in front of the two demons. Towering them, he bent his head slightly to Seilah, his flames flickering everywhere, "How so?" he hissed.

Kyoka put an arm between them and spoke with a grin spreading across her face, "The ritual won't work if you don't get her here on her own free-will. The gates will not open and thus no fiery world for you. You must find her and claim her as yours. Of course it's a lot more difficult than it sounds. How will a blood thirsty demon lure a pure hearted girl into his chambers i wonder?" E.N.D snarled ferociously at her, grabbing her by the throat as his flames started to threaten at his claws. His grip tightened around Kyoka and Seilah spoke quietly, "We can help you know, Master. Despite lacking a heart, You're still more different than the rest of us Etherious..." He looks down at her, eyes bright red. Seilah smiled darkly, as an aura begins to surround her, "Find the girl. It doesn't matter how many of them you burn on the way because when you do get her, She'll be the only one that can withstand your flames" He dropped Kyoka and he snarled, "No one can freely touch my flames without being burned to ash" Kyoka coughs and Seilah continues to speak, "Oh, but that Heartfilla can. Haven't you wondered what happened to Layla? Master, you're so careless. Despite burning that manor down, Her body never burned"

E.N.D's gaze faltered, eyes flickering back and forth between the two demons when she spoke again, "When you find her, get her heart and she'll follow you. Her magic will be yours to bend at will" A darker purple aura surrounded Seilah when a bright book flashed in front of her. He stood back and watched, "The demon king who lost his key" her voice echoed, "He will find it...out in the open, just for him. When the ritual preparation's are complete, the gate shall open to his fiery kingdom. The ending is yours to make, Master" The glowing book fell onto the ground in front of him. One whole page was colored with a picture of a blonde girl and deep brown eyes, It stared back up at him. A dark smile slid onto his face.

"Let's get started then shall we?" he cackled darkly, ' _What kind of girl is she? Can she really walk around so freely with my flames coursing through her veins?_ ' Kyoka looks up to Seilah, "You best hope you don't fail him, Seilah" The graceful demon smiled and helped Kyoka up, "...As long as i have you, Kyoka" They watched E.N.D pick up the book and walk towards the giant lacrima. He turns his gaze slightly behind him, "Hurry up" The demons nodded and began their preparations.

 ***End of flashback***

Natsu continued to smell the burning sweet scent from Lucy. She shuddered from the heat pulsing hot under her skin. Her body felt like it should've melted from his hold. She started to pant while trying to pull her arm back.

He growled slightly from her defiance, he spoke a bit louder, "I don't want you covering this. I want the world to see who you belong to" His gaze grew stronger and moved himself closer to her. Lucy started backing up but her arm was still locked into his grip. Stumbling backwards, his other hand caught her waist and he pulled her up to him. Lucy froze from the contact, if she didn't know better, she would've thought she was thrown into a pool of lava. The heat was intense. She squeezed her eyes shut as her body burned from the inside. It wasn't hurting, it was different, She only felt hot, not suffocating. Lucy was wondering where the flames were. Natsu was a head taller than Lucy. He looked down at her blonde hair, shadowed from being inside the cage. Natsu wanted to pull her out but, he just finally made it this far. He didn't want to force her out yet. Instead he just inhales and breathes deep into his lungs the sweet, fiery smell radiating off of her in waves. Natsu realizes now, their close contact triggers the intense heat from her. Grinning, he slowly lets his own flames flicker off his body and it started to engulf them.

Lucy opened her eyes and saw red light emanating around her. Eyes popping, she moves her head around to the side and saw flames surrounding them. The fire was different, It wasn't the usual flames that took her away from that place. She tilted her head to look at him, his eyes were staring back down at her. They were lit with a fiery red this time and only a bit of his forest green was lingering behind it. He snickered at her and bent his head down to her ear, "You really are the one, aren't you?" That deep voice of his right by her ears made her shudder yet again. She grabbed his black cloak and huffed slightly, "Don't do that..." she breathed trying to control her erratic heartbeat. He chuckled and she felt his body shake from it. He pats her head, then tilts it towards him. Her brown eyes stared widely when she spoke, "you still never said what you wanted"

Natsu felt the heat from her breath tickling his skin. He felt strangely odd for a moment. The smell from her is making him lose his train of thought. Natsu stared into her large, dark brown eyes and felt his corner lips perk up slightly. Something he knew he never done before, something genuine. Not from watching people burn and everything being covered in red. It was just from watching this girl in his arms. Lucy wasn't running away from him nor was she afraid of his existence. She's very aware of what he is and continued to stare right into his eyes. His body hummed with a strong unexplainable feeling. Flames flickered and licked his skin as it did hers. She made no effort to move out of his grasp and he laughed quietly, amused from everything.

"I said it already. I need you, Luce" he breathed onto her face, a couple inches from hers. Lucy's breathing was getting heavier and her smell was getting stronger. He started backing her up towards the back of the cage until she was against the wall. Natsu watched her very carefully and Lucy just went with it as he finally cages her within his arms. He looked down at her, eyes filled with curiosity and lust while she spoke quietly, "You're still not telling me, Natsu" He moved his head closer and she puts her hand between their faces. His eyes narrowed, but his lusting eyes didn't change. Lucy tilted her head away from him, "What're you doing?" her breathing was getting shaky and her heartbeat was frenzied. Her ears also picked up a rumble from Natsu's chest as his hand cupped her face. Lucy's eyes widened while she moved her hand to match his.

She finally felt her body getting use to the heat, no longer bothering her as if the temperature finally caught up with his. Natsu moved his head close enough so it was touching hers. He closed his eyes and his breathing picked up, "You have a choice, Lucy" he breathed heavily, Lucy tilted her head towards him slightly. "What choice?" calming her nerves but, her heart made no effort to slowdown. "You either come out of here on your own or..." He opened his eyes, "or what?" she whispered quietly. He smiled and now their noses touched, "i can pull you out of here, Luce" He backed away and looked down on her, "That really isn't a choice, Natsu" she felt his hand leave her face and a sudden cold air tickled her skin. Her face scrunched and looked behind him towards the bed. Thinking for a few seconds and she swallowed, "I'll walk out of here myself, if you tell me what is it exactly you want from me, what do you need me for?" Natsu started walking out and placed a hand on the outside of the cage, "I'll tell you later if you promise to be a good girl" He turned his head slightly back at her, snickering. Lucy stared at him and looked down to her left arm. The red scales were dimly glowing. She sighed and thought quietly to herself, ' _Walk to my doom, or be forced into my doom...and he really needs to work on the personal space issues_ ' Lucy balled her small hands into fists. She looked at him and huffed. "Whatever" she said bitterly and started walking out of the cage towards the only window she spotted on the far side from the bed.

 **Meanwhile in the Guild Master's Office of Fairy Tail...**

The frog in the Lacrima stared at Makarov with no interest, "Even if you hold the status, Wizard Saint, It does not mean you can bother the councilmen with trivial matters. You guys are a guild, deal with the matters accordingly" Makarov gritted his teeth, veins started popping on his forehead, "Put me through to the councilmen! It's an emergency for all of Magnolia, if it was such a simple matter, I wouldn't even think to bother them with this. Lucy Heartfilla is in trouble! If Tartaros gets a hold of her, this also means the entire world is at stake!" He yelled. The frog sighed, "One moment, Master Makarov" The screen flickered off for a few moments.

The master sighed heavily, thoughts going through every possible scenario. Even if he had the other guilds helping and even if they took down some of the demons. The serious threat remains, E.N.D. Nothing spoke of the power he's capable of. Even if he's a fire demon, the one description claims he is the destroyer of the world. His small fists hits the floor, hard, rattling the area around him. The lacrima lit up again brightly and his attention went straight back to it.

The screen held a bunch of shadowed figures around a table. Makarov narrowed his eyes at the tallest centered figure, "State your business, Makarov" the man said gruffly. The small, old man straightened his posture and cleared his throat. "If my situation wasn't so dire, i wouldn't have come to you gentlemen. Understand that much, Council. The situation calls for help, reinforcements. I'm ready to evacuate the town to avoid excessive casualties. We have no idea what their agenda is but, we do know what they're after. Lucy Heartfilla. It seems the demons have located her and started making their move. We don't know when they'll be coming but, i'm certain we're running out of time."

The council whispered and the centered figured stood up, the staff he held tightly within his grasp bangs onto the ground, silencing the room. "How can you be so sure of this? Lucy Heartfilla was never to use her magic and she has, hasn't she?" Makarov grit his teeth and glared down at the lacrima, "You cannot stop a mage from using their magic. She is free to do whatever she pleases. We will do whatever it takes to help her, Council. She's in trouble, she made no physical contact with the demons and somehow they located her through her mind" The leader of the council silenced the room again with his staff, "What makes you think the girl isn't already under it's thrall? If it already accessed her mind, what makes you so sure she isn't doing it's bidding. As far as i can see, shes a lost cause and should be eliminated for the sake of protecting other peoples lives"

Makarov punched a hole into his desk, fuming, "I will not allow you guys to do such a thing to her, She is my under my watch and care. I'm asking you for reinforcements against the demon, E.N.D, that's the threat you guys should be eliminating. Not her, she is innocent!" he raged, glaring down onto the lacrima in his hand. So close to smashing it to pieces within his grasp. The council began whispering again until once more, it was silenced. "Very well, Makarov, We'll send our reinforcements. However, if that girl poses a threat in any way, we will be dealing with her by our own means. Don't let this be a waste of our time" and the screen went blank. Mira walked into the office quietly, "Master, is everything alright?" the old man grit his teeth and seconds later the lacrima burst to pieces, shattering everywhere across the room.

He turns around and speaks quietly, "Get the emergency evacuation preparations going, we have no time to waste" Mira nods and walks away. Makarov sighs and looks out to the orange and pink sky, the sun was starting to set. "Lucy, please be alright" he whispered, hands folded behind his back. He soon walked out of the office, to alert the guild to get ready for the incoming battle.

 **Back to Lucy and Natsu...**

The celestial mage made her way to the window across the room. Natsu just watched her carefully, smirking when she just sped right past him. He only followed her a bit and stopped a few feet behind her. Lucy stuck her head out of the window, her blonde hair fell forward leaving her back completely exposed. His eyes narrowed, tracing the small bones poking from her pale back with his eyes until he heard a disgruntled whine from her.

"Is there seriously nothing out there?" she whipped her head around and her arms crossed, eyes still pointed towards the window, "Completely black out there..." The light overhead from the chandelier shined brightly on her. The blonde hair shimmered and she turned her gaze towards him. Lucy looked annoyed but, he was relieved to see all the tension slowly leaving her. He chuckled and stepped towards her, "What is this place?" she said, watching his footsteps. Natsu stopped a foot from her and started to rock back on the soles of his feet. "A little realm i created just for you and me" he winked and closed the gap between them. Lucy's eyes narrowed and she huffed, arms still crossed when he backed her up against the window.

She tilted her head up at him and brows furrowed, "So, What does a fire demon want with a little celestial mage like me? There are plenty of other mages out there and far more experienced. I barely tapped into my magic and you're all over me" His grin widened, revealing his canines again. Natsu moved his face closer to hers, "You're special though, my little shooting star. You'll be the one that'll open a new world for me" Lucy huffed, "i don't know if i should be flattered..annoyed. I think it'll be both" she turned her gaze away from him and quickly dived under his arms to walk around him. Natsu turned around and leaned back against the window, placing one leg behind him, arms folded and his eyes locked onto her. Lucy looked at the large canopy bed and started walking towards it, "What does E.N.D, stand for anyway?" she said quietly.

Natsu growled, feeling agitated from hearing that name. She would bring that up again. In honesty, he hated that name. It reminded him every time of what he was, who he belonged to. He wanted nothing to do with it. If that black mage ever came back, he'd have no choice but to obey him. Natsu snarled and his eyes closed, small flames began to flicker off his body when he suddenly heard Lucy's heart pick up again. He snapped his eyes to her and started walking over towards the bed as well. Lucy held her left arm over her as she inched back from him. He stopped when he reached her legs. Natsu looks down, eyes slightly glowing a dark red again.

"Will it make you feel better if you knew?", steam escaped his lips when he spoke. Lucy's arm started to throb lightly but, relieved she no longer felt the burn from it. "Maybe" she said while looking at him. Natsu moved to the side of the bed next to her, the dark fire disappeared from him and his eyes went back to normal. He sighed when he stared out in front of him, "My name was given to me by Zeref, Etherious Natsu Dragneel" Lucy only inched away from him, to get a better look. His expression was blank and just now realized he's looking slightly more human. Lucy moved onto the bed entirely, tucking her legs under her as she watched him. The scales on his face remained but, his horns and wings are gone. The dark salmon-pink hair covered his ears and hung over his face, barely covering his eyes. Natsu turned to look at her, the dark green eyes and lingering red shined under the light. Her breath stopped taking in his appearance. Even if he is a demon, his looks was something else entirely, feeling mesmerized once again.

Natsu turned his body slightly towards her, head hanging low when he spoke, "Why aren't you afraid of me?" Lucy shook her head, "Because you don't frighten me, Natsu. You say you can kill me, but you don't. Said you needed me but, kept me here instead of a dirty prison cell like other villains. Your eyes look at me gently, instead of hate" A small smile escaped her lips and puts her left arm out towards him, "You gave me no reason to be terrified of you" her voice grew quiet, "You threaten when you feel the need to uphold your demon appearance" Natsu moved his head up as his back straightened. He looked down at her with no amusement in his eyes. Lucy's resolve was wavering and tried to pull her arm back when he suddenly grabbed it. The icy look returned to his eyes as his grip tightened, "Natsu, what are you doing?" she stumbled with words, feeling the hold get tighter. Natsu moved entirely onto the bed and made his way over to her. Lucy couldn't move backwards because the floor was behind her. She fell onto her back as he crawled over her. Holding himself up with one arm as the other held her left arm tightly in his grip.

Natsu stared down at the blonde mage. Studying her face, she showed no signs of being scared. He moved his head down to hers and moved her arms over her head. Natsu bared his teeth at her, lips curled back into a snarl, "I told you before you shouldn't be so trusting of things that can kill you on a whim" Lucy's pupils grew smaller, her breathing quickened. With her shaking breath, she spoke, "Even when you say that, i know you won't do anything you'll regret" His growl was low and Lucy's breathing faltered for a moment. Natsu's eyes darted to her left arm, eyeing the scaly patch he left on her before his frown grew into a sly smile. "I have so many plans for you, Luce" he murmured. He pulled her arm towards his face again, picking her up slightly. Her face paled, "like what?.." she mumbled. Natsu inhaled her smell again until his lips pressed onto the mark on her arm. Lucy's heart nearly thumped out of her chest and her eyes dilated.

Lucy watched as he slowly parted his lips, teeth baring towards her skin. She felt frozen, unable to move no matter how much she willed it. Her heartbeat was the only thing she can hear. How she wished the burning feeling would come back to distract her. Lucy felt his teeth scraping slightly across her skin and his eyes were closed as he was taking in everything.

Natsu was elated. Everything was right where he wanted it, sudden fear was emanating in the air from her. Her smell was intoxicating him more so than before. Her erratic heartbeat filled his ears the more he teased her. He shot a glance at her when he started to stick his tongue towards her arm. She stared at him, face pale and her dark brown eyes widened. Natsu's grin grew wider and then continued to tease her. His tongue slowly touched her skin, moving upwards over his mark. He heard Lucy shudder and made a disgruntled groan, "s-stop it.." she breathed. He chuckled, "How about no?" he whispered. She was scared, he felt it but, he also saw her face entirely flushed. Two entirely different things conflicting with one another. Blushing and yet fearful. He closed his eyes and lips curled back as he pressed his mouth onto her arm. His teeth slowly pierced her, when a sudden loud scream filled the room, making his heart soar.

Lucy was struck with horror, unable hear her own heartbeat anymore. The burning feeling came back in full force and a scream echoed loudly in the room, taking her a few moments to realize it was her own. Lucy watched as the bright, red liquid dripped from her arms, splattering onto the bed. Natsu's eyes were closed, he didn't move a muscle. She felt strange, the burning feeling started to dull and her arm throbbed with pain instead. With her throat feeling raw, she noticed she stopped screaming as well. Lucy stopped thinking entirely. The room fell into silence, her eyelids tried to flutter close and she felt entirely drained. It felt like hours passed and Lucy still couldn't move.

Natsu felt lighter, stronger as her magic and scent was flowing through him. He noticed the fear and terror stopped emanating from her. His eyes opened slowly and pulled himself back a bit. Lucy wasn't looking at him anymore, instead her eyes were barely open as her head hung low. The blood coating his lips and fangs hung there. The strong fiery, sweet smell filled the room entirely. He couldn't think much at the moment, he just stared in awe at the blonde in front of him. Something inside him stung, he couldn't place it exactly. Natsu didn't like that look on her face. He moved towards her, stretching his arm to her face when she snapped her eyes at him. An icy glare pierced him through and recoiled himself back. Natsu felt like he was suddenly doused in iced, cold water, something he should've never felt. He narrowed his eyes, recomposing himself and scoffed, "You have some nerve giving me that look, Lucy" Even if his composure faltered for a moment, he didn't want her to notice it, if she hasn't already. The icy glare stayed when she spoke bitterly to him, "Was that suppose to frighten me, END?" Her words cut through him like cold daggers and his lips curled back, showing the bloody canines at her. His eyes went dark, "I hate being called that..." Lucy smiled with an empty look in her eyes, he shuddered, "Did you, or did you not just bite me like a wild animal...demon, END?" she said in an icy-cold tone.

He snarled at her, her attitude completely went 180 on him. Natsu almost completed the ritual he wanted. However, this reaction from Lucy, isn't what he expected. He didn't want this from her. Natsu's eyes went into slits and pulled her towards him. Their faces inches apart but, hers remained unchanged, "You're despicable.." she breathed quietly. "I tried to trust you, i tried to listen to you and you do something so childish like that" she spit the words at him, her blonde hair hugged her face, bangs covering her eyes. She spoke again, "How can i trust you if you keep doing things to hurt me?" her voice was quieter. Natsu's gaze fell, moving her blonde bangs out of her face without realizing it. He tilts her chin up only to see that blank stare at him, "Listen to me because I'm only going to say this once" he breathes. His hot breath tickled her skin and her face started to waver, "What i did, was just a trivial thing, a one time deal. I barely connected us. It's still incomplete though..." he wanted to do so much more to her, but it had to wait. Natsu narrowed his gaze to hers, the dark green eyes returned to him as he started to see Lucy's bright, brown eyes come back. Her face started to flush again, "w-what?" he snickered at her, "We're almost there before i tell you everything, my little shooting star" his voice trailed and he moved his head until it completely leaned onto her shoulder. Lucy's heart sped up again, no longer feeling annoyed, instead she felt confused. ' _Cryptic as ever_ ' she thought.

Room was quiet again, Natsu was leaning his head onto her shoulder and Lucy couldn't move, much. The pain in her arm dulled. Her eyes glanced over the now offending two holes in the scaly patch. ' _Connected how?_ ' she thought. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a low rumble coming from him, ' _Is he purring again?_ ' Lucy leaned her head down into the crook of his neck. Listening intently. Soft rumbles echoed in her ear in small consistent patterns. Natsu was indeed purring, she couldn't believe it. Without realizing, she started moving her hand over his head and petted him gently. Moving her fingers in soothing circles onto his head while hair was getting caught between her fingers. Lucy closed her eyes and listened to the rumbles in his chest. The sound lulled her into sleep and without realizing, she was sent back to her own place, forgetting where she really was.

* * *

 **Additional AN: Now for the preview o-o**

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 _*~...Lightning was flashing in the distance as thunder continued to echo loudly in the night sky. Lucy felt the sudden sharp pain in her chest again. She swallowed thickly, throat feeling tighter. Her body temperature rose and it started to hum as her breathing was getting heavier. Leo put a hand onto her shoulder, "What's wrong princess? Relax, be strong. We'll always be here to protect you no matter what. I'll be here for as long as i can too" Lucy spoke quietly, "I feel him" She points to the large dark shadow in the distance. "He's there" She turns to look at Leo, her eyes were glowing slightly, making her brown eyes seem lighter. "E.N.D is here.." ~*_

 **See you soon in the next Chapter... ;)  
**


	10. Chapter 9: The Destroyer is Coming

**AN: I don't know why but, i sort of struggled writing this chapter...  
**

 **ANYWAY *clapping hands* I'm BACK! with a new chapter (^_^)/ and things...Like a new story on the side! If you need a dosage of Nalu fluffiness, it'll definitely be worth a peek! :3 i promise.  
**

 **In other news...**

 **The FIRST big fight is about to start next chapter, this chapter is all just build up anticipation. It'll DEFINITELY be a challenge writing fight scenes and things, visualizing the whole scenario. Look forward to it because i'll be doing my absolute best (i think...)**

 **I hope no one is lost in the story just yet. Enjoy the read..because the fun is only just starting...*wink wink* ... :3**

 **and thank you so much for the continued support *bows***

 **Really, nothing makes me happier than seeing continuous positive feedback and having you guys support this story *sniffles***

 **Now onto the chapter!  
**

 ** _*Preview at the end (O.O)/ *_**

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It's been two days and Lucy still hasn't woken up. Everyone was getting worried, checking on her every thirty minutes. Gray, Juvia, Wendy and Erza all took turns keeping watch on her. Her body was continuously burning up, leaving Gray exhausted, frustrated and almost out of magic. No one had a clue on what was happening to her. Erza, Mira and the guild master were finishing up with the evacuation orders while sharing opinions and ideas with another on how to proceed with the upcoming battle. It was something they can only wish to avoid but, considering who they're going to be dealing with, there was no other choice. Levy buried herself in the library, researching everything she can find on demon curses and dream realms. Anything that can help with Lucy's current situation.

Erza sat at the table, feeling irritated after going through Makarov's personal book collection and scrolls. "There has to be something, something we missed!" she seethed. Hands gripped tightly onto the scroll with E.N.D's picture while continuing to think. Mira placed her hand on the scarlet mage for comfort, she too was worried for Lucy and her guild mates. Causalities will happen. The white-haired mage turned to look at the guild doors when it suddenly opened. Three people walked in, a tall, blonde, broad shouldered male was in the center. On his left was a leaner male with long, green hair. On the right was a female with wings on her back, wearing rimmed glasses and held a fan to her face. Behind them was a man wearing a helm with an odd outfit. Floating above him was three wooden-faced dolls. "We're back! We're Back!" the dolls repeated. Mira smiled, "Laxus, everyone, Welcome back!" The blonde male looked at Mira, "What's going on around here, Mira?" Elfman shouted to them across the hall, "Freed, The guild master wants to see you! Move it, this is a man's job!" Freed nodded and walked towards the stairway. The female sighed, "Another crises coming this way i presume?" Mira nodded, "Unfortunately, We're clearing out the city because...Tartaros is coming" Her eyes were darker than usual, despite her smile. She didn't like involving people more than necessary but, He was one of their strongest fighters available.

Laxus walked over to a table and the masked person behind walked towards the bar, "Bixlow, where you going?" Under the guild light, Laxus's lightning scar became more visible. Mira stood by the blonde male, head hanging low. Bixlow waved his hand, "I can hear just fine, Laxus" Elfman looked over to the Fairy-looking female, "Welcome back, Evergreen" He nodded his head towards her. Evergreen raised an eyebrow and nodded back to show she acknowledged him. Despite liking his company, business always came first.

"Why would Tartaros bother coming all the way out here?" Laxus leaned back on his chair, feet propped on top of the table. While eyeing Mira, she stared right back at him. Any pleasant feeling she had before was completely gone now. "One of our guild mates...Is being targeted by them" Laxus scoffed, "What'd the poor fella' do to tick 'em off?" He shook his head and Bixlow dropped a mug of ale in front of Laxus. "This sounds like fun" Bixlow laughed, the wooden dolls hovered over Mira, "What'd they do? What'd they do?" the dolls said in unison.

Mira sat across from them, hands folded on the table and eyed them carefully, "It's not that they did something. She didn't do anything. It doesn't matter, right now it isn't just her we have to worry about. All of Magnolia will be in their path when they arrive. Laxus, will you please help us?" The blonde male spoke with a gruff voice, "Yeah, It's not like there's anything else interesting going on" He pulled his legs off the table and leaned forward, "Who's the girl they're after?" Mira smiled faintly, "Lucy is in the infirmary. She's been in hiding for a long time because of what happened to her in the past. It's important that they don't get her. It's the main reason we're fighting" Laxus held his hand to the side of his face, feeling bored, "Tch, So we get left with the clean up, again? How'd they even track her?" Mira glared, "How could you say that? She's one of us now, show some manners for once, Laxus! We believe the enemy has been tracking down anyone with her type of magic power, Celestial Magic. How much do you know about Tartaros?"

Laxus sighed, leaned back into his chair, hands folded onto his chest. "Not that it matters much now. I know just as much as the next guy. They're just a small group of Dark mages, that's part of the Ballam Alliance. Whereabouts were never known until recently. I felt something dark coming this way. People in the nearby village were speaking about a giant cube hovering nearby" Mira turned her head around to see Master Makarov eyeing the room from the rails above. He jumps down and walks toward Mira's table, "Glad to see you here, Laxus. However, I'll have to correct you on that bit of information. Tartaros isn't just Dark mages, no...they're made up of Zeref's most powerful demons"

Laxus turned his gaze towards him, "Demons? That's what everyone is worried about? All the more reason to not hold back " Makarov hopped onto the nearby chair, "It won't be that simple Laxus. If it was _Just Demons,_ i wouldn't need to go to such extreme measures" the old man spoke while holding a wooden mug. Laxus kept his arms crossed, listening, "Their leader is E.N.D, and he's the one that's behind Lucy's problems as we speak. We will not take this battle lightly, We will protect this city and Lucy at all costs. If they get her, It'll be a far worse problem for everyone" Laxus scoffed, "And if they get her?" Makarov's voice grew silent, "That's what I'm still trying to figure out. I'm hoping Lucy can tell us" Laxus stretched his arms into the air, yawning, "We don't have that much time to wait around for her to talk, The cube will be here in less than a day"

Makarov closed his eyes, calculating, "Mira, any news on Lucy?" Mira shook her head, "It's not looking good, Master" Evergreen started to fan herself, legs crossed in front of her, "What did happen to the poor girl?" Makarov spoke up, "unfortunately, Lucy has been enduring abnormal temperature spikes. She's also been pulled into unpredictable dream realms from her attacker, Leaving her unconscious at the moment" He sighed. Bixlow drank from his mug before speaking, "So Zeref's almighty demons are the unlucky fellows we'll be fighting?" The wooden dolls chimed in, "Unlucky, unlucky!" Makarov's face fell, "unfortunately so. I informed the council for some reinforcements but, judging time on Laxus's information. I'm afraid it'll be too late for them to help us."

Laxus shook his head with disbelief, "So that's why you evacuated the entire town? Tsk..Instead of wasting time, we could've used the girl to track them down before they even reached town. If they can track her that easily, we could've traced them back" He stands up, "But what do i know? At least now i finally got something to look forward to" He chuckles, "This would be the time to test out that new spell" Makarov glowered, "Laxus..." Laxus waved him off and walked back out of the guild doors, "I'll be ready when they arrive"

 **In the Infirmary...**

Gray was nodding off slightly, sitting in the chair next to Lucy's bed. The blonde mage coughed a few times and Gray's eyes popped open. He stood up to look over her when he noticed she was starting to wake up.

Lucy's eyes fluttered open. The room was quiet and as bright as ever. She held her arm over her face only to see Gray staring down at her. Keeping the shirtless comment to herself she speaks, small white puffs of air left her lips, "Why's it so cold in here?" She can feel the cold air but, her body didn't feel cold, instead, She felt really warm inside. Lucy's eyes snapped wide open and her right hand raised to her left shoulder. Sighing with relief, the bandage was still on. She was afraid she'll have to explain about the bite mark. Not wanting anyone to see it just yet. ' _What are you afraid of, Lucy?_ ' Natsu's voice echoed in her head, ' _I want the whole world to see who you belong to..._ ' She shuddered as small flashes of the encounter replayed in her head, completely forgetting Gray was in the room with her. Panicked, he yells loudly, making Lucy's now sensitive ears ring. "Not so loud, Gray! That hurt.." she rubbed the side of her head.

"Lucy, you're back!" Gray said with relief. Lucy shook her head, "Was i out long?" she didn't think she was gone that long, was she? Gray grimaced, "You been out for a little over two days, Lucy. Everyone was worried about you" A bunch of fast paced footsteps were made towards the door before it slammed open. Erza being the first one in there, then Wendy followed by Makarov and a face she hasn't seen before. Elfman was standing next to the chestnut-haired woman in glasses. "This is the little girl those vile things are after?" she said quietly while hiding half her face behind her small fan. Lucy averted her gaze and Gray placed a hand on her. "Still burning under there aren't you?" quickly pulling his hand back. Lucy shook her head at him, "I'm fine though. I honestly don't even feel it" Makarov cleared his throat as everyone crowded the bed, "Good to see you awake, Lucy" Lucy faintly smiled as she sat up entirely. Elfman nodded at her, "Of course she'll wake up, Strong-willed like a real man!" Evergreen scoffed at him, "Not everything has to be a man you know..." Elfman lowered his face to hers, "Don't worry, I'm the manliest man you'll ever meet" She smacked him over the head with her fan and Makarov shook his head before he continued to speak, "Anything happen while you were there, Lucy? I'm sure he's the reason you been out so long"

Lucy swallowed heavily, not sure which part to tell them. They've been worried over her for the past two days, it honestly felt like she was gone only a couple hours. She pulled her left arm closer, "He's getting closer, I can feel it" Erza walked near Lucy, "How can you be sure of that? Lucy, what happened while you were there?" Lucy shook her head, "It's not something i can explain. I just know...I know he's coming for me" Gray leaned in towards her, hands placed on the bed, "What'd Natsu do to you, Lucy? I know he did something, You didn't smoke at all this time. Instead you're a human furnace now" Lucy shrunk herself back, keeping her head low. "I-I dont..." Makarov jumped onto the bed to her feet. He placed a hand on her leg, "Lucy, You can tell us. We're here for you.." he said in a low, quiet voice.

She tilted her head up, a tear fell down her cheek. She smiled half-heartedly, "Me and Natsu..." she covered her face half-way, sobs threatening to come out, "He...connected us somehow..." Erza stiffened as well as Gray. Makarov let go of Lucy's leg as he slowly balled his fists, ' _That about does it_ ' he thought furiously, ' _If the council gets wind of this, we're in trouble_ ' He jumped off the bed and quickly left the room. Erza spoke a bit too loud, "What'd he do while you were there, Lucy. You have to give us something other than that!" Lucy shook her head, Wendy spoke with worry, "Erza, she's scared. Give her some time..." Erza fumed, "There is no time! Don't you see that? He almost has her, That demon is on his way here and there is nothing right now that can help us!" She smashed a hole through the wall with one of her magic swords. Gray stood up eyeing the scarlet woman, "And throwing your anger around isn't helping, Erza. Lucy will speak when she feels comfortable. What you're doing isn't helping" Erza glared at him and her shoulders fell, "I-I'm sorry, Lucy...I just.." Lucy shook her head slowly, "It's fine, Erza" Gray looked over to Lucy, "Is there anything you can tell us right now?"

Levy opened the door and ran in. "I heard Lu-Chan was awake!" Her eyes darted to the disheveled blonde. The short, blue-haired mage ran over to Lucy, nearly jumping at her. "Lucy! You're okay!" she squealed happily. Lucy grimaced and hugged Levy back, "I'm sorry for worrying you" Levy pulled back and crossed her arms, "You met with the demon again?" Lucy nodded and eyes fell to the bed. "I think i might've found something to stop his connection with you. Kind of like a brain barrier. Even though he's not a dream demon from what you guys told me. He was still walking through the dream realms to get to you" Lucy looked up to Levy, "He said..." voice growing quietly, expression pinched, "He said he created the realm, for me and him..." Levy shook her head, "It doesn't matter. We can stop that much at least" she said excitedly, Lucy looked at Levy and sighed, "It's too late though. He won't bother me again there" Levy's face fell, "what do you mean?" Gray and Wendy moved closer towards the bed while Elfman and Evergreen stayed by the wall watching. "..because he's almost here. Natsu won't need to use that place anymore.." Levy moved over to sit onto the bed. Placing her arm on Lucy, only flinching back holding her hand, "Lu-Chan..." the celestial mage sighed again and tried to walk out of the bed. Feeling weak in the legs, Gray assisted her to stand up. He grit his teeth harshly, the heat from her bare flesh was piercing through his iced hands. Lucy nodded to Gray and he quickly let go, slightly ashamed, "I'm sorry i can't help you much Lucy. I swear, if i come across that fire nuisance...I'm putting him and his underlings under a frozen wasteland" Balling his fists. Lucy lightly smiled before eyeing the window in the corner of the room.

Lucy slowly walked towards the window, the sky was dark and small sounds of thunder echoed in the distance. She clutched her chest, feeling his magic inside her spiking. ' _He's so close_ ' she thought. Wendy walked behind Lucy, holding her brown pouch, "Miss Lucy, your keys.." Lucy turned to look down at the small sky dragon slayer and smiled, "Thank you, Wendy." She looks across towards her guild mates, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to call for some reinforcements..." She cleared her throat and eyed Leo's golden key. Last time she spoke to him, he was troubled by her words. Lucy wanted nothing more than to apologize to him. Feeling guilty from the way she left things. "Open, Gate of the Lion, Leo!" A bright golden light flashed, ' _Least that works_ ' she smiled as Leo slowly appeared behind the light.

Leo blinked a few times in confusion before turning his head around to see his blonde master smiling up at him. "Lucy" he breathed with a sigh of relief. "I haven't heard from you in awhile, is everything okay? Why was i summoned?" he looks around only to see his guild mates around. Lucy chuckled, "Two things actually Leo. One, I wanted to...properly apologize about before.."she bowed her head slightly, "I should've known better after all the things you went through" Lucy quietly sniffled, "I shouldn't hide things from you, i'm just scared..." Everyone watched quietly and Leo walked over to her. He held her tight into his arms and murmured, "You're alright now. It's fine, you have your reasons im sure." Lucy nodded, "I'm still sorry though. I hate seeing you upset, especially when im the cause of it.." Leo shook his head, still trying to hush her, "It's fine, now what's the other thing?" Lucy looked up at him, his face filled with relief and concern, "I'm going to need you here for when they come. Leo, E.N.D is coming here soon...i can feel him." Leo's brows furrowed, "What do you mean, you can feel him? How..." Lucy sighed to herself and spoke using her words carefully, "He...connected his magic to me. Every time i fell into that dream place...he always did something. Only this time, he said, he almost completed it. I don't know what he meant by that..." her voice trailed and Leo pulled back slightly. He only just now noticed the bandaged arm, his eyes narrowed. "What happened Lucy?" He touched her arm and Lucy flinched back. "It's nothing.." Wendy tilted her head, "She said she got hurt while she was out training" Lucy's breath hitched, silently cursing herself. Leo frowned, feeling irritated, "What training, Lucy? Did you do anything recently?" He didn't take his eyes off the offending cloth. Leo felt something dark coming from it but, doesn't know how to place it. Lucy bit her lip, "It's ..." squeezing her eyes shut. She promised she'd stop hiding things but now...not being able to take things at her own pace, she grew nervous. Afraid, about what her guild will think about it. ' _I want the world to see who you belong to_ ' Natsu's low voice echoed in her head again.

"Damn it" she breathed. Leo tilted Lucy's head towards him. "What's wrong Lucy?" Lucy was conflicted and his voice rang again, ' _What is it you're afraid of, Lucy?_ ' She pulled herself away from Leo and spoke quietly. "Promise me...Promise me you won't do anything crazy, Leo...everyone..." choking back tears, Leo nodded, "I promise, Lucy, You're scaring me. What happened?" She carefully unwrapped the bandage on her arm. Wendy flinched back, hand covering her mouth. Gray's eyes popped, more so with revulsion. "That fire bastard is going to pay..." the ice mage said between his gritting teeth. Elfman spoke quietly, "That's not manly at all..." Leo's face grew pale, silently falling to his knees. He held out one hand towards her arm. "So that's how..." Lucy's eyes grew red and puffy between tears. Her voice breaking into sobs, "When i first saw him, he scratched me. I didn't think nothing of it.." she said quietly, barely able to bring her words together. "...The second time, he grabbed my hand but, i didn't...see him do anything" she shook her head closing her eyes. "the third time...the third time he whispered something i couldn't understand..." She fell onto her knees in front of Leo. He held her arm as he only listened. "This last time...he..." she choked between words, " he bit me..saying its almost complete. That'll hell tell me later when its done.." Leo stared at the scaly patch on her arm. Two large teeth-marks were already starting to leave scars. Her arm looked like she was bitten by a dog with large canines" Leo's face was suddenly full of anger and despair. The one person he swore to protect and right under his nose, the demon got to her anyway. He punched the floor, making slight cracks and the walls rattled around them.

Lucy turned to look at her spirit. Feeling entirely guilty and in pain watching her friends reactions. This is what she feared most. Not what was happening to her but, the effects it had on her family and friends. "Leo..." she whispered, trying to reach out towards him. Leo flinched from her touch and started trembling, "I promised her, Lucy. I promised you, Layla and yet i failed." Lucy sniffled and shook her head at him with disagreement. "No you haven't. I'm still here, you can still protect me, Leo" She stretches her arms out towards him. Leo squeezed his eyes shut, "Lucy..."

Lucy sobbed between words, "Mom said she believed in you, I believe in you. You have to believe in yourself too...Leo" Gray spoke in a low voice, "She has a point ya know, Loke. Even if the damn pyro-demon found her, You can still stand and fight for Lucy. Not all hope is lost until we're all down" Gray slams both his fists together, some icy air was radiating from him, his face grinning, "I'm sure as hell not going down without a fight" Elfman bellowed loudly, "Yes! Real men fight for what they care about and die trying with all their might!" Evergreen rolled her eyes, "Sadly, they're both right" Wendy twiddled with her fingers and spoke nervously, "...and I'll do whatever i can to help everyone.." Lucy looked at them with tears filling her eyes. In such a short amount of time, she can feel the bond everyone shared, looking out for one another no matter what happens. "Thanks guys..." she turned to look at Leo who finally stopped trembling and was whispering something. "...forgive me Lucy, i shouldn't have said things like that.." Lucy patted his head and smiled at him, "It's ok, Leo. Now where's the usual protective attitude of yours hiding. This princess is in need of protection" Leo chuckled and helped her up, "At your service, My lady" he bows.

The door slammed opened once again to the infirmary, "THE CUBE IS HERE!" yells a man with a pipe in his mouth. A man in white coat followed behind, dark hair and a long necklace with an S pendant. "The guild master ordered all able-body fighters to be at their stations" and they ran back out. Lucy turned to look around out the window. Lightning was flashing in the distance as thunder continued to echo loudly in the night sky. Lucy felt the sudden sharp pain in her chest again. She swallowed thickly, throat feeling tighter. Her body temperature rose and it started to hum as her breathing was getting heavier. Leo put a hand onto her shoulder, "What's wrong princess? Relax, be strong. We'll always be here to protect you no matter what. I'll be here for as long as i can too" Lucy spoke quietly, "I feel him" She points to the large dark shadow in the distance. "He's there" She turns to look at Leo, her eyes were glowing slightly, making her brown eyes seem lighter. "E.N.D is here.."

 **While in Tartaros...**

E.N.D stared into the giant lacrima inside his throne room. Fairy Tail was centered in the orb, flashing different faces from one to another until Lucy's face showed up. He paused the view and a grin spreads across his face. "There you are..." he whispers to himself while leaning his elbow onto the gold armrest. He was holding a dark, leather-lined book in his other hand with the letters, E.N.D, etched onto it. Hearing footsteps behind him, he growled quietly, "Keyes, have you found Silver yet?" The Necromancer came into view from the back door, he spoke in a monotonous tone, "No, I have not summoned him here. Do you need him?" E.N.D continued to stare into the giant orb and sneered, "No. I'm curious to see what he does..." He hopped out of his throne, cackling loudly, "It seems our little city has already prepared a welcoming party. I should thank Lucy later.." Clapping his hands high into the air, "We got to prepare ourselves" The necromancer turns to leave and the demon lord goes through the other door.

Walking quickly down the halls, he came across Mard Geer. E.N.D only clicked his fingers at him, getting the other demon's attention, "Dismiss the other dark guilds search parties. We have our own to attend to" he said calmly, hiding his enthusiasm from before. Mard gave a dark smile, "Already done, my lord. We'll be directly over the city in ten minutes" The demon lord continued walking down the dark corridors until he came to the entrance of his castle. He whistled a high pitch sound and suddenly the rest of the demons appeared one at a time. He pushed opened the large doors in front of him as the thunder roared loudly outside. E.N.D smiled darkly, baring his teeth at the guild below him. "I've come for you, Luce..." The other demons walked ahead of him and Mard stood at his side. "Your orders, sir?" E.N.D closed his eyes and spoke as lightning flashed brightly in front of them, "Stall them. You get her for me, If i have to come down there, there will be nothing left behind. That i promise" He snapped his eyes open. His eyes were a bright red, the scales on his face stretched a bit past his cheeks. His horns thinned out farther than before and his wings spread out behind him. E.N.D stretched his claws as he looked down at them, "Nothing is going to get in my way..." he whispered. Mard snickered and the demons left him behind as they descended below to Fairy Tail.

 **In the far distance behind Fairy Tail's Guild...**

Silver was watching the view of the storm clouds closing in on Magnolia city. His eyes narrowed to the cube, "Tartaros..." he uttered coldly under his breath. He balled his fists tightly as cold air began to emanate from him. "You'll regret coming here, you demon scum" Ice started to coat the ground as he walked towards the guild, "No one is going to take my son's family away...again"

 ***small flashback***

' _It's dark, cold...'_ he slowly tilted his head up, hardly able to move. Silver saw his wife dead beside him. Coughing up blood he can see in the distance, his son, Gray Fullbuster crying...screaming for him and his mother. Barely able to raise his arm, spots started to block his vision, ' _Someone, help him...please...anyone..._ ' Silver's vision was fading, hearing his heart thump slower. ' _Someone...protect my son..._ ' He felt his hand brush the hair of his wife. The cold air around him chilled him to the bone, everything did. He couldn't feel anything anymore. The harsh roars echoed in the distance from Deliora. After about ten minutes, Silver finally blacked out entirely onto the snow covered ground, his last breath faded into the cold air.

"What do we have here?..." a solemn voice echoed quietly. "A lost soul it seems, Keyes-Sama...Not able to find peace from the looks of it..." a higher voice cackled. "It seems i may have found an interesting specimen. Franmalth, pull him back in, then we must get going." Strange words were uttered and about a few moments later, Silver's eyes blinked open. "Look, look, hes alive!" says the one-eyed demon. Silver's head throbbed painfully, unable to feel anything else, "Where am i? What's going on...?", his voice hoarse and dry. Franmalth jumped in front of the black haired man, "You owe your life to him.." slowly pointing to the tall, skeletal like being in front of them. "He doesn't owe me anything. It's merely to watch. We must get going" with his flat, un-amused tone he started walking away. Silver stared at the ground, "Why am i not dead?..." The small cyclops shrugged and followed the necromancer, "Who cares, you're alive now. Can you remember your name?" Franmalth flashed the man a sly smile, "Silver...i remember everything" Cold air started to emanate from him. With sudden frustration he felt for failing to protect his family, dark pink ice scattered across the ground reaching up to Franmalth's feet. Locking the one-eyed demon in place he screamed, "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS, YOU RUNT!" Keyes turned his attention to the loud things behind him. He stared, watching the man pool out his anger towards the small demon. He smiled darkly, "It seems you developed an usual power from what you had before, Silver..." Silver froze and the ice stopped moving. The brilliant pink ice shattered around Franmalth, releasing the small demon. The cyclops demon growled, "That's going to cost you a lot, you -" The necromancer raised his staff to block the cyclops, "No, you will do nothing. Come, we're wasting time"

Silver watched the retreating figures leave, "What the hell is this...my ice..." He looked at the ground under him. It was different from his dark ice. He flexed his hands and realized he had no breath. Silver looked beside him and saw his wife's lifeless body. He got up slowly and began preparing her funeral.

After he was done, he stared down at the wooden cross, gently placing down snow-white flowers. ' _I'm sorry...i couldn't protect anyone...our son..._ ' he started thinking to himself, ' _I will devote the life that I've been given, to killing every last one of those demons. I promise...my beloved, Mika. I pray that our son is still alive out there._ ' Silver turns around, walking towards the bleak and snowy night without another glance back.

 ***End of small flashback***

Silver hid in the shadows as people from the Fairy Tail guild started to move out. ' _I'll have to wait here until the time comes_ ' From the corner of his eye, he watched something familiar running out of the guild. A shirtless boy with raven-black hair was setting up ice cannons and ammunition. Silver watched intently, eyeing the boys moves. ' _Glad to see you again, Gray_ '. He jumped to the top of the trees, watching the view below, ' _Once i finish my business here, my power, will be yours..._ '

* * *

 **Additional AN: And now for the preview:  
**

* * *

 _*~ Natsu raised his arm and caught the spirit into his grasp. "Oh, it's you" he hissed between his teeth. Natsu leaned in towards Leo's ear, speaking loud enough so only the spirit hears him, "Layla sends her regards" and he threw Leo across the room. Leo smashed into several objects until his back finally hit the wall. Wheezing, he barely got himself up and glared harshly at the demon, "YOU! YOU WERE THE ONE!" Leo yelled. Lucy's eyes darted between them, terrified... ~*_

 **See you next chapter ;)  
**


	11. Chapter 10: The Silver Lining

**AN: It's finally here! The first (probably most poorly written) fighting scene i've done! (slow clap) (_")/\**

 **I've put in a lot of effort into this. I hope it meets minimal satisfaction. So much going on at the moment, hope you can keep up. Things get down to business, mayhem everywhere as well as super long chapters from this point on...yikes.. BUT stuff happens! O.O**

 **Thank you, Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for the continued support, it makes me so happy!  
**

 **So...Are you Ready...?  
**

 **Get set...  
**

 **ACTION! *snap*  
**

 **(Battle scenes start at second line separation! - insert choice of battle music...idk...While reading this and listening to my music, it seemed to just fall into place and i feel like im actually watching it, ya know?...don't mind my rambling ...XD)**

 ** _*PREVIEW AT THE END!*_**

* * *

 **Outside of the Fairy Tail Guild...**

The town was empty except for the mages standing out in front of their guild. The thunder roared loudly in the dark sky while lightning flashed continuously. Laxus stared up at the cube from the Cathedral's bell tower. ' _So, That's the infamous Tartaros_ '. The blonde mage flexed his hands, electricity humming over his fingers and arms. ' _What a night_ ' he thought when he looked back up to the cube, ' _Thunder palace is almost complete, if i even get a chance to use it.._ ' Lightning flashed in front of him and Laxus disappeared with it.

Makarov stood in front of his guild while the fleet of mages stood behind him, ' _Seems the reinforcements won't be here in time. Dang it.._.' He turned to look overhead at the lightning from the cathedral, ' _Laxus, be careful.._ ' The old man cleared his throat and without turning to look behind him, Makarov spoke loudly,"Listen up brats! Tartaros chose the wrong guild to make enemies with. We are gathered here now to fight them off away from our home, our family. They're here to to take our dear friend, Lucy away from us. We will not allow that! Anyone who messes with our family will get payback 100 fold because...WE ARE FAIRY TAIL! WE FIGHT FOR OUR BELIEFS AND OUR FAMILY!" the crowd roared with fighting cheers as they rushed around getting ready.

Erza ran to Makarov's side, "Master, Gray is going to stay with Lucy and the others"

He nodded and glanced up to her, "Go over the battle plan, I'm going to check something really quick, Erza" The scarlet mage nodded and the old man left quickly.

Erza turned towards her guild mates and yelled loudly, "Close combatant fighters, we need you at front, protect them from getting past your lines! Leave no openings. Defenders and rangers, stay behind the fighters! We need you to protect the casters behind you. If anyone breaks past you, we're in trouble because what we're protecting is in our guild..." Erza's face grew dark when she spoke lower, " _You'll also answer to me later about your lack of training"_ Everyone saluted quickly and ran into positions. Erza whispered to herself, "May Mavis watch over us tonight..." She looked up towards the giant, hovering cube. ' _I Pray that fire demon comes down, I have a thing or two to tell him..._ ' Gritting her teeth.

"Get ready, Fairy Tail! Here they come!" yelled Makarov from behind.

Shadows in the sky started to appear over them, Erza quickly equipped her Heaven's Wheel Armor and a dozen magic swords appeared around her, "Keep to our battle plans! We will beat them back!" she yelled as she eyed the approaching shadowed figures.

Gray, Wendy, Mira and Leo hovered near Lucy in the Infirmary. Reinforcing the windows and shutting down all the lights in the building. Wendy started chanting reinforcement magic on everyone while Leo held Lucy close to him. Gray set up some ice spears while Mira sat on the bed, watching through the cracks of the window. Lucy trembled slightly, the thought of meeting Natsu in person bothered her. ' _If he's here, who's to say he won't hurt my family, my friends_ ' The fire sensation inside her spiked and she clutched her chest.

Leo looked down at her and gently moved the hair out of her face, "You'll be okay, Lucy. I promise"

Lucy glanced up at him and grimaced, "I know, Leo. It's just, what happens if they win. What's going to happen to you guys...Everyone is going to get hurt because of me.."

She fights back tears and Gray kneeled in front of her, "We're doing this because we want to. It's not just to protect you, as a guild, we fight for each other and for our home. Since you're one of us now, it's just makes it that much simpler" He patted her knee and winced from the heat.

Lucy smiled and sighed, "I get it...it just doesn't stop me from worrying, you know? Gray, i just don't want to sit here hiding, i want to fight to!"

Leo chuckled, "That's why im here, isn't it. To protect my dear princess from the evil outside"

Lucy shook her fist while huffing, "I said i want to fight too! Not hide behind people. Leo...Your my friend too, not just a spirit"

Leo patted her head and Gray scoffed, "How are you not burning from her touch, Loke?"

Leo frowned, "Honestly, i don't know. I don't feel it, not yet anyway" His face pinched when he turned to look out the window.

Sudden loud explosions were echoing around the guild. Floors and walls shook, bits of dust fell from the ceiling. Lucy stood and looked outside the window as well when another heat wave pulsed through her. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. Trying to feel out his magic specifically, making her left arm throb around the bite mark. The heat was intense. The more she felt it, the more it pulsed around her, going through her arms and body. She heard gasps around her when Lucy opened her eyes.

Flickers of fire were coming out of her hands, Gray was not amused. "What's going on, Lucy? I thought you didn't have fire magic, Is this the fire breather's magic you're messing with?" Lucy swallowed thickly as she stared at the flames flickering. It was a bright yellow and orange glow, as if it was trying to fuse itself with her light magic. Leo touched her shoulder and the flames went out.

Lucy snapped her head to him before looking at Gray to speak, "I-Im sorry. I'm just trying to test something..."

Lucy shook her hands and Leo was frowning, "I wouldn't play with that. It's not safe, Lucy. Whether it hurts you or not, That's dark magic he placed inside of you and as far as i know, Demons specialize with curse magic. I'm sure just by using his magic specifically, it's placing a beacon over you. He can probably sense your presence as it is"

Gray looked up to Leo, "If he comes here, I'm having a crack at him first. The sooner we get this done, the better. Hopefully maybe we can force his magic out of Lucy as well" More explosions were made around the guild building, Knocking a light out from the ceiling.

Mira looked at them from the window side, "It seems its getting dangerous up here. We might have to move Lucy downstairs.

* * *

Mard Geer was walking down the streets without a care in the world. Fires were spreading from building to building. Trees blackening or turning to ash. Despite the storm brewing overhead, no rain was coming down. The demon smiled darkly, watching his demons push back the fairies towards their guild. Clashes of magic sounded the skies with the roaring thunder. The city reeked of chaos, making it a glorious day for the demons. Each step he took, he can feel the celestial magic pulsing from the right side of the battered guild. Something bothered him though, he couldn't make it out exactly but, for a moment, he thought he sensed Silver nearby. Gritting his teeth and narrowing his eyes ahead, ' _Just what exactly is that insolent human doing?_ '

Natsu looked down at the mayhem below, chuckling and smiling at the sight. Fires were spreading everywhere and with a flick of his wrist, his dark flames started to engulf the city as well. The blood-red embers sparked around, making a dim light under him. His bright, red eyes were locked on the guild, anticipating for the moment he finally gets his key. Sudden bright lightning struck down beside him, making Natsu jump back hissing, "...the hell?" he snarled at the smoke surrounding the area now.

The burn marks on the ground from the lightning strike pulsed brightly when Laxus came into view. Stretching his arms, cracking his joints from neck to fingers, he then finally takes notice of the red-scaled demon in front of him. Laxus narrowed his eyes as lightning sparked off his body, bouncing off the ground leaving traces of electricity. Natsu curled his lips back, baring his teeth at the intruder and crouched into his battle stance.

"So you're the one making all the noise in my hometown?" Laxus said calmly.

Natsu didn't even answer him, instead he lunged himself towards Laxus. With one arm raised forward and one behind him, flames flickered and burst around his claws, "Like i have to answer to you"

Right before he collided into Laxus, The blonde moved out of the way with his lightning body and pivoted his feet slightly, "Raging bolt!" A large ball of lightning shot behind the demon's back sending him even further ahead.

Natsu hissed from the impact and caught his ground barely. Sliding across he jumped into the air with his wings spreading wide, mumbling quickly under his breath, "Scorching breath of the Fafnir..." Dark flames circled into the air in front of his face, tightening into a ball before exploding forward towards Laxus in a large path. Nearly scorching his entire front castle, Natsu searched with his eyes carefully while listening.

He growled when he saw Laxus standing, barely scathed. "Who are you?" he breathed angrily.

Laxus wiped some ash off his shoulders when another lightning bolt struck down near Natsu. "That's none of your business"

The demon roared loudly, shaking the skies when even darker flames surrounded him, "You have any idea who you're messing with?"

Laxus sneered, "Yeah but, remind me to care"

He launched his now lightning formed body towards Natsu. Upon collision, a large, bright explosion was made. Natsu gripped Laxus's arms tightly, piercing his claws into the man's flesh. Natsu cackled darkly, "Funny, You're the first to stand your ground but, I'll be sure to change that"

Launching a fire fist towards Laxus's face, the dragonslayer grabbed it instantly, sending lightning charges through his hands. "Not the first time I've heard that"

Natsu was sent flying back and Laxus continued to charge at him full force, "Lightning breakdown fist!"

Natsu countered with a flamed fist. Another explosion was made when the demon laughed loudly, "This is fun! I haven't met a dragon slayer for centuries, Now im fired up!"

Laxus glowered when he was suddenly hit in the chest hard, sending him backwards towards the ground. He coughed and wheezed heavily from the impact. Natsu glared downwards when he suddenly raised his leg to dive into him. Laxus rolled out of the way quickly before the demon smashed into the ground. Barely making it out of the way when flames engulfed the small crater. The ground started to crumble. Natsu whispered again under his breath, pointing his finger at Laxus, "Burn with the sinners below, Hellfire Crash" Flames shot up from the ground and formed a giant wall above.

A moment later it descended over Laxus rapidly when the dragonslayer watched carefully, "Man, this is going to be a pain, "Lightning Dragon's Roar!" a gigantic beam of lightning shot from him towards the incoming flames. Colliding into another large explosion. The air was heavy and filled with heat, leaving dark smoke everywhere. Laxus got up carefully, spitting blood from his mouth. ' _the hell is this?_ ' he thought. Squinting his eyes, he looked around, listening intently. ' _where are you, you damn fire demon..'_ Suddenly being slammed from behind with a heavy force, Laxus flew across the ground landing on his back.

Growling quietly, Natsu flicked his wrists when almost black flames flickered off him, "turn to ash, Hellfire's Blaze". Black flames shot from him across the ground towards the dragon slayer.

Laxus growled quietly when he balled his fists, "seriously, such a pain..."

The flames engulfed him rapidly as the fire demon watched,"You're good" Natsu said mockingly. Laxus shot up towards the sky in a lightning streak. The demon spread his wings widely and rushed towards him. "But, your luck is soon to run out..."

Mard Geer jumped over the crumbled buildings and into the shadows on the far right side of the guild. He watches as Jackal the explosion demon detonates several area's around the guild, making it crumble down further. People yelled and screamed as they fell and flew across. The demon smiled before wiping some dirt off of his shoulders. ' _My Lord, it seems you're needed down here after all. Our '_ comrades _' seem to be barely holding their own_ '. Mard eyed the building before raising his hand slowly as thorned vines uprooted from the ground, reaching towards the skies. With a flick of his wrist and eyes narrowing to the right side of the guild, he shot the vines rapidly towards it.

* * *

Leo shot up from the bed and yelled, "Get down!" Everyone in the room barely dived out of the way when the wall crashed beside them, leaving them exposed out in the open. Few people coughed and Lucy got up carefully, wincing from the now bloody arm of hers. Leo hissed through his teeth when he saw the blood. Picking her up quickly into his arm, he started running out of the room leaving no room for questioning. Mira and Wendy followed them while Gray eyed the broken opening. When squinting, he barely made out the shadowed figure in the distance.

A few fast paced vines shot towards Gray when the ice mage jumped out of the way, "Ice make: Shield!" he mumbled, panting from the sudden movements.

He kept his eyes ahead, watching the approaching figure. "Quite the agile human, aren't you?" the being spoke.

Gray punched a fist to the ground, "Ice make: Geyser!" the ground shook when a large, ice-spiked column shot into the air from under the incoming intruder. Debris flew everywhere as the air suddenly became frigid.

The demon laughed, "Another ice mage?" The figure came into view from under the fading smoke. Long, pitch-black, curly hair gently waved in the air. The demon sneered, "It seems i'm rather occupied at the moment but, it occurs to me you seem rather familiar.

Gray scoffed, "You like to talk a lot don't you? Ice Make: Lance!" Large spears of ice shot out towards the demon.

The demon barely waved his hand when vines shot back, shattering the ice to pieces. "Rather rude, aren't you? Fullbuster. You're the son of that thing roaming about, i can smell that same scent coming from you" he glared. Raising his hand higher when large vines shot up from the ground, "Last thing i need is more of you running around!"

The vines shot ahead towards Gray. "What the hell do you know about me?" he yelled when the vines crashed behind him.

Scathing his arm and legs. Gray grit his teeth when he glowered in front of him, "Silver Fullbuster, is your father isn't he? But, from your reaction, It seems he never made contact with you. What a pity.." More vines shot from the ground towards Gray. Hitting him straight on, it sent Gray flying back, crashing through the walls. It pierced his arm as he yelped from the pain. The demon walked slowly towards the battered ice mage, "Let me properly introduce myself, I'm Hades and I'm here to take you down into hell"

Leo, Mira and Wendy ran downstairs towards the basement. The walls continuously shook around them. Pieces of the ceiling and flooring started to cave-in behind them. Leo gripped tightly onto Lucy when he jumped the last dozen stairs.

Mira jumped down quickly with the sky dragon, "Air wave!" Wendy said, when a gust of wind flew under the two women, cushioning their fall.

"Thanks, Wendy" Mira said quietly. Wendy smiled as they looked ahead. Leo stood in the center of the room, eyes down to Lucy. Lucy was trembling in his arms. Hot steam escaped her lips and eyes were shut closed. Wendy and Mira ran over to them, Leo didn't turn his gaze away. "What's happening to her, Leo?" Wendy said in a squeaky, panicked voice. Mira's eyes fell with sadness when suddenly more debris fell behind at the stairwell. Leo grit his teeth, "It means that _thing_ is getting too close. If only i can stop this from happening..." Mira placed a hand onto his shoulder, "Leo, you have to be strong for her...Me and Wendy are here to help" Her eyes narrowed to the dark stairwell, "I'll do whatever i can to stop them from getting to her...even if it means..," Wendy's eyes flew to Mira, "b-but Mira! That's dangerous!" Mira smiled softly down to the dragonslayer, "I have a family to protect and so do you" Wendy squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. Mira chuckled softly, "Besides, it'll take a demon to fight one, no?"

* * *

Natsu snarled as he continued to clash with Laxus in the skies. Lightning strikes crashed down constantly, aiming for the flying demon. "Lightning Dragon Roar!"

Natsu flew backwards, "Scorching breath of the Fafnir!"

They both released chaotic power towards another, ending with another large explosion. The demon flickered his eyes towards the guild when he suddenly heard Mard's voice echo. Glowering, the corner of his eye picks up the incoming ball of lightning. Extending his claw out, he grabbed it and crushed it instantly.

Laxus scoffed, "What's the matter demon, Getting tired?" Laxus spit blood towards the ground again when he attempted another lunge.

Natsu shot his bright, red eyes towards Laxus when a grin spread across his face, "Hardly, but it seems we're out of play-time now"

The demon engulfed his arm in a large dark red flame when throwing it at the dragonslayer's direction. Seconds before it collided, Natsu opened his claws and grabbed Laxus's neck. Gripping tightly, the demon soared them high into the sky. Piercing through his neck with his claws, Natsu glared into the man's eyes. "I hope you can fly, Dragon" He let go of Laxus, dropping him midair over the city. Laxus wheezed into a small coughing fit when his vision started to blur.

' _Shit..._ ' he smiled as fell down to the ground, ' _Sorry old man, it seems even i can make some mistakes..._ '

From the ground, Makarov was punching a four-armed demon out of the way, only to have his attacks blocked. The old man fell onto his back when he looked up and saw him, "LAXUS!"

He quickly tried to get up when another demon lunged at him, "It seems this is what we call a calamity"

The demon lord watched as the body fell into the fire pit below. Snapping his head towards the guild, he growled. "Taking too long, Mard.." Flapping his wings a few times before setting off towards the crumbling building. Dark embers were trailing behind him, irritated that he was summoned. Natsu would've continuing playing with the lightning dragon if this was any other day but, He had to get his key, now. His body hummed the closer he got to Lucy. Her scent was getting stronger despite the strong smells lingering everywhere. Natsu spent so long focusing on her scent, that he can pick it out anywhere. Even if he never bit her. Snarling, he felt someone he disliked nearby. Averting his gaze towards the large trees behind the guild, he descended below towards the piled rubble. He folded his wings back tightly before returning his eyes towards the forest.

A shadow moved quickly away and Natsu scoffed, "Just what do you think you're doing, Silver?" Silver appeared behind him when Natsu spoke. Without turning around, flames licked at his feet, threatening the man if he got any closer. "Can't you see I'm busy?" he hissed agitatedly.

Silver spoke loudly, "Call them all back, now. Then I'll tell you where the girl is"

Natsu turned his head halfway, eyes glowing red, "I already know where she is. If you continue annoying me, I'm not going to hesitate knocking you down a few sizes" More flames began to flicker around him rapidly.

Silver sighed and raised his hand. Natsu snarled and lunged at him, Silver yelled, "Devils Ice Make: Closure!" Smashing both of his fists together, two large columns of ice shot up from the ground, closing in on the demon.

Natsu growled loudly, "Keyes!"

Mard flickered his gaze away from the unconscious Ice mage. ' _It seems E.N.D has finally arrived. I wonder what kept him_ ' His eyes narrowed when he finally felt Silver's presence. "Of course..." he grumbled while walking quickly towards the rubble.

Keyes sighed very quietly while Franmalth was moping. "Not a single non-mage in this area. Unbelievable! What a waste of time...Then again" he had an evil smile curling up onto his face, "A Mage's soul would be worth a lot more" he cackled when he noticed Keyes moving. "Did his majesty call?" Keyes didn't say anything as he continued to walk further towards the fiery wasteland. Franmalth scoffed, "Whatever..." and shortly followed the necromancer.

* * *

Lucy was breathing heavily still when she was placed onto a wooden bench. Heat waves pulsed under her skin constantly, unable to concentrate on anything else. She curled into a ball, clutching her head between her palms, "He's here, above us" she said between her shaky hot breaths. She squeezed her eyes shut and Natsu's heated gaze popped into her head. Lucy re-opened her eyes when she saw her friends across the room. Leo was muttering to Mira quietly while Wendy was listening. Lucy sat up slowly and small embers flickered off her hands again.

Leo shot his gaze towards her and walked swiftly to Lucy. "Lucy, are you alright?" He stopped a foot away from her. He kneeled down, gazing up to her. "Lucy...can you speak?"

Lucy nodded slowly, "Yeah. Leo, Mira...Wendy..." everyone's eyes looked at her, when she spoke again louder, "Natsu...He's here...above us.." steam left her lips again when she tried to clutch her head again. "I can feel him..."

Leo began to panic watching her. "Lucy, are you in pain? Do you want Wendy to help you?"

Lucy shot her gaze to him, "No. I'm not in pain...It's just...I feel like there's fire inside of me. Trying to claw its way out. It's so hot and yet it's not..." Lucy squeezed her eyes closed again when she suddenly picked up faint voices above them,

"Quit wasting our time, Silver. Back down now or Keyes is going to imprison you permanently" the angry voice hissed. Lucy gasped quietly to herself, realizing who it was..."Natsu.." she breathed under her breath.

* * *

Natsu stopped talking when he suddenly heard a low familiar voice in the distance. His eyes narrowed towards the inside of the building but, of course, Silver noticed.

The devil slayer raised his hands, "Devil Ice Make: Ice Seal" he mumbled quickly. Bright pink ice shot up from the ground, covering the one huge gap in the wall.

Natsu curled his lips back and snarled. He lunged at the man with flames engulfing his entire body, "No one is going to keep me away from my Key!" he growled furiously. Silver rolled out of the way catching small fire embers onto his cape. He quickly ripped off the cloth only to be lunged into immediately after. Landing on his back, he looked at the furious Demon. "This is the last straw, devil slayer" He gripped Silver's neck tightly, claws piercing his neck. "When Keyes gets here, consider yourself locked away" Silver kicked Natsu off of him, sending him flying into the pink ice.

It didn't even crack, instead it stung Natsu heavily. The demon hissed under his breath when Hades appeared from the side. "Need a hand?, my lord"

The demon lord growled, "Get lost, Mard. He's mine!" Natsu got up carefully only feeling the stinging in his back. ' _Damn slayer magic_ '

Silver flicked his wrist, "Devil Ice make: Rupture" Large pink ice spikes shot up from the ground under both demons, plunging into Mard easily. Natsu roared angrily when one scratched his arm but still being equally painful. Silver narrowed his gaze when he noticed his son through the pink sheet of ice. ' _Damn it, i have to make this quick_ ' But before he can do anything, his movements slowed and then stopped. Only one person can halt him in his tracks. Keyes.

Natsu jumped down to the ground, eyeing the incoming necromancer and cyclops. "Took your time, Keyes"

The necromancer glanced towards the demon lord and raised his hand slowly, "How shall i dispose of him?"

Natsu snickered, "Don't. Once I get what's mine, I'll burn this place down as he watches" The demon cackles loudly before turning to look at the pink sheet of ice. "Well if there's a will..." He cracked his neck to the side and stretched, "There's a way" Flames flickered at his fists when it suddenly collided into the unbroken wall. Silver made a disgruntled groan, watching as the demon lord makes his descent inside of the shambled guild.

* * *

Lucy sat up immediately, turning her head towards the flight of stairs. She curled herself tightly into a ball as the heat inside of her pulsed faster. Her heartbeat picked up rapidly and her breathing got heavier. Leo eyed the poor disheveled girl, worried about whats happening to her.

Lucy pointed to the doorway when Mira spoke quietly, "Someone's here.." Lucy swallowed thickly as the being walked slowly through the shadows. Leo glared, light started to emanate from him.

A low, throaty laugh was heard when it spoke, "There you are...Lucy" The blondes eyes widened completely. Her brown eyes locked onto the shadowed corner of the room. Mira stood in front of Lucy, while Wendy and Leo stood on her sides. "Why the guards? It'll be less painful for you if you just come to me, Luce"

Leo growled, "Like hell I'll let her walk to you" He held his arm out in front of himself as light shined brightly from his hand.

The demon cackled and started walking slowly towards them. "Lucy, come to me. You can make that feeling stop you know.." He stopped shortly before the light touched him. His shadowed figured was barely visible. Lucy can vaguely see the demonic features poking through, his wings being the most obvious.

Lucy's breath stopped when his words finally reached her, "How'd you know?" she breathed.

Leo glanced over to the blonde when the demon spoke again, "I can feel you, Lucy. The same way you can feel me, right?" He chuckles when he finally stepped under the light in the middle of the room.

Lucy's heart thumped rapidly, seeing Natsu right there in front of her. His messy, dark, salmon-pink locks covering parts of his eyes. The horns poking through, more-so than before. Natsu's red scales nearly covered him entirely and he had his claws out.

Lucy shook her head, "Make it stop.." she barely spoke when Leo lunged at the demon. "LEO! NO!"Lucy yelled, unable to stop him.

Natsu raised his arm and caught the spirit into his grasp. "Oh, it's _you"_ he hissed between his teeth. Natsu leaned in towards Leo's ear, speaking loud enough so only the spirit hears him, "Layla sends her regards" and he threw Leo across the room.

Leo smashed into several objects until his back finally hit the wall. Wheezing, he barely got himself up and glared harshly at the demon, "YOU! YOU WERE THE ONE!" Leo yelled. Lucy's eyes darted between them, terrified.

Natsu hissed, "Not now, cat!" Natsu lunged towards Leo and plunged into him entirely. Leo coughed up blood before slowly fading into a bright light.

The spirit turned his gaze towards Lucy, defeated, "Lucy, I-Im so sorry..."

Mira and Wendy stood their ground in front of Lucy. The blonde mage nearly screamed but, her voice was caught, "Natsu, stop...please" a tear fell down her face and the pink-haired demon scoffed.

"Can avoid everything if we can just go, Luce" Raising his arms in the air almost like a shrug.

Mira gritted her teeth, "You're never taking our Lucy away! Not as long as we're here standing!"

Natsu snapped his eyes towards the white-haired mage. "That can be arranged and news flash, She's mine!" he roared while lunging at the two girls.

Wendy yelled loudly, "Sky Dragon's Roar!" The air picked up swiftly before gusting harshly into a whirl towards Natsu.

Sending him back a few feet while raising his arms up to cover some of the impact. "Tch, another dragon slayer? Still too young it seems to leave a scratch. At least the other one was a bit more...fun" He sneered.

Mira glared, "You've met Laxus?!" she nearly yelled.

Natsu smiled darkly, "So that's what his name was? He didn't talk much. Although, i did try to test his flying capabilities. So much for being a dragon.." he snickered then bursted out laughing. Mira stated to glow a dark purple aura around her. Her bright blue eyes darkened to near black. Wendy walked back and stood in front of Lucy.

"You'll regret everything, E.N.D" Mira muttered angrily.

Natsu snarled, "No one is allowed to call me that!" He got ready into his crouching position when he slightly tilted his head, "Well, aren't we full of surprises? A demon transformation. Maybe now i can get a decent fight in"

Mira screamed loudly when a dark light shot into the air, breaking the ceiling above, revealing the sky. Her white hair spiked upwards, claws formed onto her hands and feet. A long serpent like tail shot out behind her. Demonic scales covered her body, leaving her naval exposed. A dark black scar covered her right eye as she finally opened her eyes.

Mira's piercing gaze shot to Natsu when he laughed again, "Let's get this party started!" Mira teleported behind him and kicked him harshly into the air. Natsu yelped from the force, cracking his back.

Mira hissed at him as she opened her large, black, bat-like wings, "I'm not here to entertain you"

* * *

Gray fluttered his eyes open slowly. Sounds of explosions and glass shattering echoed through his ears. He had a sudden huge case of dizziness and held his head in one spot. He closed his eyes as his head throbbed and took in a deep breath. Opening his eyes again moments later, he could barely feel his limbs. Blood coated his clothes and arms. He tore off his shirt and tied it onto his punctured wound. "Damn it..." he breathed heavily. The ice mage got up carefully, nearly falling over again. He looked at the now covered wall in front of him. A thin layer of pink-ice covered the hole in the wall. "Who the hell did that?" he thought as he approached it. Placing his hand slowly onto the ice, he felt dark magic pulse under it. Yanking his hand back, he tried to look through the ice only to have his face pale from the sight.

Across from him was a tall, skeletal like being. Next to him was a tiny, one-eyed demon. But, that's not what has him shaking. Silver Fullsbuster, His father was out there between the odd demons. Gray balled his fists, "What the hell is he doing here?! Why is he alive?" His head throbbed again painfully making Gray kneel over to the ground panting. Cold air encircled him, emanating from the shallow pink ice. Gray glanced upwards and slowly placed his hand onto the strange ice. He closed his eyes, focusing on the magic coming from it. Pain shot through him again but, powered through it. Sparks of ice started cracking under his palm and he narrowed his eyes towards his hand. A dim glow circled around it. Gray felt his magic humming under his fingertips, stretching for it. Forcing his ice magic out towards it, the pink ice gave in under him, swirling through his fingers as it harmonizes with his own. However, shortly after sharp, electric pains shot through him. Even though the ice isn't hurting him, directly. The dark energy coming from it, was soaring through him thoroughly.

Silver snapped his gaze when he heard ice shattering in front of them. The necromancer raised his head in the direction as well, when a dark smile appeared. In his low solemn tone, it spoke, "It seems the boy knows how to play with your magic, Silver" The necromancer stared as the boy collapses from agony. Silver grit his teeth, still unable to move. Franmalth was cackling, "I see an easy soul to take.." Then glances over to silver smirking. "What would it cost, Silver-Sama?" The devil slayer spit at the ground in front of the cyclops. Franmalth kicked his leg and Silver groaned under his breath.

Gray carefully moved his throbbing head towards them, eyeing his father. He can see the trio didn't get along. Under his breath, he moved his hand slowly towards the pink ice and moved his other hand out towards them. "Ice make:" he breathes heavily, "Frozen prison!" clasping his one hand into a fist, Large pink ice columns rose underneath the demons. Franmalth screamed when the ice swallowed him entirely. The Necromancer got half his body stuck in the ice and Gray grits his teeth. Trying to force the ice to cover the other demon entirely but, his magic was strained. Anymore would be fatal.

Keyes frowned, unable to move as half his body started to turn to dust. "This is quite unfortunate, for both of us, Silver"

The devil slayer glared over to the necromancer and scoffed, "You don't say"

He turned his gaze towards the boy when the necromancer spoke again. "If i die..." it said quietly, "So does everything I've re-created...including you.."

Silver didn't say anything. Suddenly being able to move, he rushes over to his son that was barely holding himself up.

Gray coughed a few times, throat feeling raw and scratchy. He suddenly had a large shadow covering him when he glanced up, "Why are you here..." he spoke between coughs.

Silver looked down on him, almost expressionless, "You shouldn't have touched that ice..."

Gray scoffed, "It's ice. I can handle it just fine" wincing when another head throb spiked. Holding his hand up to it, his father touched his arm.

Gray glared at him as he watched, "It's dangerous to play with that ice when you don't have that power yet. Gray, i didn't come all the way out here to see you get yourself killed" He said in a displeasing tone. The ice mage shoved him back before he suddenly fell over. Silver caught his arm again, "Stop being such a child and get up, Gray!"

The ice mage snapped at him, "That's enough!" I don't know what's going on or why you're here, alive. But, i do know i can take care of myself. Much more than i can say for you!" he spit the words at him. "If you were alive this whole time, why didn't you come back?" he said in a lower tone. He balled his fists as his father just stared down at him.

Silver folded his arms and looked at the necromancer behind him slowly dying. "I don't have much time left. Even if that thing can resurrect itself, i can't" he said quietly.

Gray tilted his head back to his father, "What do you mean?"

The devil slayer frowned as he slowly touched Gray's shoulder. "I came here tonight, to give you something. Right now, i need it for just in case, Hot head up there... ' _he points to the sky of the two clashing beings_ ' ...loses his temper. It's something i have to do. I just hope it'll be in time before i go. Permanently."

Gray stared up at him, not sure of what to say anymore. Silver closed his eyes and suddenly embraced his son in a tight hold, "I missed you, Gray" Gray froze in his spot. Not being able to move from the sudden gesture from someone he hasn't seen for years. A tear rolled down Gray's cheek. They stayed like for a few moments when a sudden explosion was made nearby. Gray looked up to the sky, narrowing his eyes to get a better view. He can see two aerial beings above. One had long, bat-like wings, the other had large red-scaled wings.

Gray paled, "Satan soul and that must be..." He balled his fists when icy air started to emanate around him. "E.N.D..." he breathed between his teeth. Silver let's go of Gray with a wary look in his eyes.

"It's best if you leave them alone for now. It seems that woman can hold her own against him"

Gray turned to Silver, "That pink ice, What is it?"

The demon slayer sighed and held up his hand, A pink ice dagger formed into his palm, "Ice devil slayer magic. Specifically made to kill demons." He looks up to the sky, "I was waiting for the day, that man shows his weakness. However, i failed to do so. Even now, im not sure it's enough."

Gray glowered up into the dark sky, "I'm going to kill him. Not only has he destroyed my home but, he hurt Lucy in more ways than one. I'll never forgive that fire bastard"

The air grew cold and Silver just watched his silently raging child. ' _Soon...he might just be able to do what i couldn't'_ he thought quietly to himself. He turned his glance up towards the sky, ' _I'm afraid i won't be alive to see it though_ '.

* * *

 **And now for the preview!**

* * *

 _*~ Natsu pivoted towards the ice mage, grabbing the ice sword tightly. Heavy sparks of dark magic pulsed outwards from the contact, as painful as it was for the demon, he didn't move his hand. Gray glared at the demon, panting heavily. Sweat continued to drip from his face when the demon suddenly lunged a fist towards him. The ice mage was sent flying back a few feet and Natsu lunged towards him. Red flames flickered off his arm and was about to crash into Gray again until Lucy yelled, "STOP IT NATSU!... ~*_


	12. Chapter 11: Fire and Ice

**AN: Let me begin by saying this...I'm almost done writing the story. I'm so far ahead of you guys and i feel myself crying on the inside. Not because it's ending but...*tissues* The amount of drama going on...There's definitely going to be a long way to go for you guys to catch up but for now enjoy the ride. I'll let you know when the roller coaster of feels starts (i even got caught crying a few times...*dies on the inside*)  
**

 ** ** _Anyway,_** SIGH *stretches and collapses* The longest i ever had to write, thus far. Concluding the first fight at the end of this chapter... **

**Hope you guys enjoyed the fighting so far. Still something i really need to work on for visualization, hope no one got confused, i tried separating lines to avoid it.**

 **I still would appreciate any feedback from you guys. How are you liking the fearsome END? Has anyone caught onto the foreshadowing's? No? maybe i didn't make it so obvious yet *whistles innocently* what about the the ice collisions and some weird spells i threw in there...I tried to make it fitting without going overboard ya know? XD**

 ** _Now, onto the super long exaggerated chapter! Buckle up guys because Major things happen starting Next chapter.  
_**

 ** _*Preview at the end!*  
_**

* * *

The battle outside continued loudly. Neither side giving in to another. Makarov finally got rid of a few demons with the help of Erza. She nearly cut off all of the four-legged brute's limbs. Jackal ran off hiding, Tempester disappeared into dust.

The guild master wheezed heavily when he remembered Laxus. Getting up slowly, Erza ran over to him. "Master, you must rest for now. You took too much damage to be moving around"

Makarov moved her hands away, "I have to go see my grandson, Erza. I saw him out there.."

Erza looked around, "Where was he?"

The old man huffed and started to move quickly. Ignoring his injuries, he bolted towards a flaming building in front of the guild. Erza followed him quickly until something loud in the sky caught her attention. Shooting her eyes up towards the hazy-night sky, Her eyes widened. ' _Satan Soul...Mira why?_ ' Erza thought until something else caught in her vision. Erza gritted her teeth, "E.N.D" she mouthed angrily. The scarlet mage balled her fists and shook her head. ' _I have to help Master, i can't lose focus now. Mira, please be safe_ '

Makarov darted through the alley ways, jumping over piles of debris. He coughed a few times as the fire nearby continued to scorch the area. The old man stretched his arms out, pulling up everything in the direction he saw his grandson fall. ' _Where are you, Laxus?_ ' he thought while digging through. He took so long knocking down the demons, he has no idea if he was too late or not. More building rubble came crashing down when another fire explosion was made nearby.

Erza came rushing through finally, helping the old man up. "We can't stay here too long. There's too much smoke. What are we looking for master?" The scarlet mage moved away until she heard someone coughing in the distance. Makarov ran towards it, lifting up all the burnt rubble out of the way. Underneath he saw his bloodied and beaten grandson, Laxus. Erza's eyes widened, "LAXUS!" Laxus coughed heavily, unable to open his eyes.

"It seems that fire punk knew what he was doing, old man. I got too ahead of myself.." Laxus said under a raspy breath.

Makarov's brows furrowed, frowning deeply when trying to help his grandson out. "stop talking and save your energy, Laxus" Erza said quietly when she too, started to help him out quickly and carefully. More fire explosions went off from the excessive buildings being cramped together.

Laxus barely opened one eye-lid. "I want to use thunder palace...but, it seems everyone is too close-by. If i can...it'll at least destroy the cube" He breathed heavily.

Makarov grumbled, "You will not use anymore magic under your condition, brat. Save your breath and let's get you out of here"

* * *

Mira flew back into the air as Natsu flew back in the other direction. The female demon curled her claws close together when muttering her words, "Soul Extinctor" A black ball formed, crackling with black energy. She threw her arms towards the fire demon and the black energy burst out towards him. A gigantic black beam of energy shot across. Covering half of the night sky and darkening the sky further. Natsu snarled as he was engulfed by the magic. Mira's eyes darted over the aftermath, watching for him carefully. ' _normally, nothing would've survived that_ ' Her head shot upwards, seeing the demon over her. Mira yelled loudly, "Stop playing games!"

Natsu cackled as he lunged at her, claws out and covered in dark flames. "I'm having way too much fun to stop now!" he collided with Mira, claws digging into her body. "Why don't you be a good girl and stay down so i can finish what i came here for" he growled under his breath. Pouring all his strength into his arm, He threw her down towards the ground.

Mira grit her teeth when she formed another black sphere in her palms. Flipping herself in the air when she faced Natsu again, "Evil Explosion" She threw the black sphere before it exploded in the air towards him. On impact, it sent the demon flying backwards, damaging his arm slightly.

Natsu grit his teeth as he glared down at Mira, "Annoying, don't come crying to me when you're charred to the bone" Black flames flickered off his body, as smoke disappeared from the area. Natsu puffed his chest as he swallowed the black flames, filling his cheeks. His eyes glowed a bright red when he shot the flames towards Mira. A large quantity of dark flames swirled down, covering a massive area in the sky. Mira couldn't move out in time as it covered her entirely.

' _Damn it_ ' she breathed. The flames burned her body slowly as she fell down from the sky.

* * *

Lucy and Wendy pulled themselves through the broken ceiling of the basement. Wendy teared slightly, helping Lucy out. Her body was scorching and the dragonslayer fought back the pain, knowing she can heal herself later. The celestial mage looked up towards the sky, tears falling when she saw Mira falling. Satan soul disappeared from her and Wendy jumped into the air, barely catching the woman in time. Falling onto her back, small cracks in the ground were made.

Natsu looked down at the crumbled building, eyeing the blonde carefully. He flew down, landing on top of the broken guild railing. Lucy bit her bottom lip as she eyed the pink-haired demon. Taking a few steps back, he smiled darkly, barely showing his teeth.

"Where are you going, Luce? I'm right here" Lucy wiped the tears and dirt off her face, "I'm not going to follow you, Natsu. I don't care what we did in that place, what matters right now is my dear family that you hurt!" Her eyes narrowed, glaring up to him angrily.

Natsu frowned, face scrunched, "I didn't tell them to come out and fight me. They should've known better. I'm sure they knew what they were getting into" He jumped down and started walking towards her.

Wendy took a deep breath and ran in front of Lucy. Holding her arms out, "Stop, Get away from her!"

Natsu cackled, "Did you not see what happened to that girl" he points towards Mira's unconscious body. "Unless you want the same thing happening to you, I'd get far away from here as possible"

Lucy touched Wendy's shoulder and shook her head, "Wendy please.."

Wendy squeezed her eyes shut, "No...I said i'm going to help you too, Miss Lucy!" A bright pink aura flickered off her. Air picked up strongly as it whirled in the air rapidly. Wendy's hair turned pink, wings sprouted onto her back. Her eyes snapped open brightly. "Dragon force" she breathed. Small canines poked through as she growled at the unintimidated demon in front of her.

Natsu scratched his head, "If that demon couldn't bring me down, how is this any more different from a little girl?"

Wendy puffs her chest and blew strong gust of winds towards him. "Sky dragon's Roar!" This time the wind knocked Natsu back far. Smashing down the back wall, he got up snarling. "That does it" Wiping the trickling blood off his lips.

Right before he lunges at her, Lucy screams loudly, "STOP IT!" and she dived between them. Large flickers of flames emanated from her, creating a wall around her and Wendy. Natsu flinched back and skidded across the ground before he collided into them. His eyes narrowed, pointing at the celestial mage.

He breathed heavily between his teeth, "How?"

Lucy glared at him, "I don't know. I don't care. You're not hurting any more of my precious family, Natsu. Get out of here and take your minions with you"

Natsu glared furiously, "I'm not leaving here without you, Lucy"

Lucy didn't falter her gaze, instead it sharpened as her vision started to clear. Everything got brighter, she felt the small fire embers flickering off her, "Whatever you did to me, this is the result. I hope you're happy"

Natsu growled loudly, "I wasn't aware you can manipulate fire as well. I only knew of you withstanding it. Besides my flames aren't this color, you changed it"

Lucy's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean?"

Natsu straightened his back and stood in front of the flaming wall. He put his hand out to touch it, "You've made it into your own" he spoke while not breaking his gaze with her. She took a step back, eyeing the small dragonslayer besides her.

Wendy looked up to Lucy, panicked and worried. "Lucy, we have to get out of here quickly!" she mouthed silently towards the blonde mage. Lucy nodded but was unsure how to get out of her own firewall with Natsu standing there.

He moved his arm through the flames, the fire emitted small streams of smoke from the contact. The pink-haired demon smirked, "It's not nearly as hot as it should be" Natsu pointed his gaze towards the small dragonslayer. Wendy glared at him and held up her fists. Her dragon force was still active.

Lucy put her arm out between them, glaring at Natsu. "You're not hurting anyone else, Natsu. Don't even think about it"

Natsu smirked and looked towards Lucy, "I won't, as long as she doesn't move"

Rocks were suddenly kicked around making everyone's eyes dart towards the backside of the area. Two figures were standing there watching them. Natsu snarled when he picked up their scents. Lucy held onto Wendy as the fire continued to surround them.

"Devil Ice make: Impale" spoke the taller figure. Large pink shards of ice spears shot towards the fire demon, making him jump out of the way. Lucy's flames got snuffed out from the cold air rushing through. The figures moved closer and Lucy was barely able to see Gray's face. The other taller person, she didn't know who it was. Gray ran towards them while the older male yelled again, "Get them out of here quickly, Gray" Natsu's body was engulfed by dark flames when he lunged towards Gray.

"Devil Ice make: Rupture!" More pink ice spikes shot up from the ground under Natsu. He spread out his wings, flying up into the air rapidly.

Gray shouted over to Lucy, "Come here quickly! I have to get you out"

Lucy and Wendy ran towards him when Natsu growled, "No you don't" Raising his arm, extending his claws out towards them, flames swirled around and shot towards the young ice mage.

"Ice Make: shield!" An ice wall shot up from the ground to block the fire.

Silver ran towards his son, "Jump now! that's not going to hold!" Few seconds later, the ice cracked from the heat. Gray jumped into Lucy knocking her back.

Wendy pivoted and flew into the air, "Sky Dragon's wing slash!" Air waves shot across when she whipped her arms in front of herself. Natsu got cut from the winds when he tried to block it.

Gray huffed when he looked at Lucy, "I'm sorry about that. Come, we must hurry" Lucy nodded and pointed a look towards the older man, "Who is he?"

Gray looked behind him and smirked, "The old man was hiding on me but, that's a story for another time. Come, NOW!" he lifted her up quickly while Wendy and Silver kept Natsu occupied.

The fire demon roared loudly, shaking the area. Wendy covered her ears as well as Lucy. Silver just glared at the angry demon, "It's only a matter of time before he snaps" he muttered to himself. "Devil Ice make: Frozen Prison!" Clasping his hands together, two large pink ice columns shot into the air, closing in on the fire demon. Natsu glowered towards the devil slayer when the ice smashed into him, locking him in the ice temporarily.

Gray turned around when it got quiet for the moment. Huffing he looks at Lucy, "Seems your temperature dropped for now" Lucy's eyes narrowed, "Has it?" taking a moment to re-asses herself, Lucy just now realized the raging heat stopped. "You think it's because of that?" she points to the giant pillar of ice trapping the demon. Silver walked slowly towards them, while keeping one eye locked on the pillar.

"We have five minutes at most before he gets out of that. If this was any other demon, they would've already been dead" he spoke quickly. Wendy landed next to them and looked towards the man, "Are you Gray's father?" she squeaked. Her dragon force faded and was back to normal. Gray averted his gaze, pink tinting his cheeks.

Silver looked at Gray when he spoke quietly, "I don't have the right to be called his father at the moment. For now im just watching over him"

The ice mage glanced at him and frowned, "It's whatever, old man"

Lucy looked at the ice column, "What is that?"

"Devil slayer magic. It's the only thing that can slow them down for the time being" The devil slayer closed his eyes. He can feel his time running out quickly. ' _Keyes is almost dead_ ' he thought.

Gray started to walk ahead, "We have to move, as he said, we don't have much time to get Lucy out of here"

Lucy grimaced, "I'm surprised you're being calm about this. I honestly pictured you picking a fight with Natsu"

Gray stopped in his tracks without turning around, "It can wait until later. Right now, your safety is the priority" He turned his head halfway towards Lucy. He smirked "Besides, that overgrown lizard is probably going to target us quickly in a few minutes anyway" Gray grabbed Lucy's hand and they started running off. Wendy followed while Silver stood there. Gray turned his head around, "What're you doing, Hurry up!"

Silver waved, "When he gets out, i can slow him down partially. He won't be able to kill me. Now go and stop wasting time!" The pink ice started to crack, bits of steam escaped. Silver snapped his gaze towards the ice and balled his fists, ' _I'll slow him down for as long as i have to_ ' Raising his hands towards the column, ' _My son will make it out of this with his friends_ '

* * *

Gray, Lucy and Wendy were running fast. They only managed to get to the forest and away from the disaster. "Lucy, whatever you do, don't stop running. Everyone is putting their neck out there for your sake" Gray yelled loudly. The air filled his lungs, sweat dripped down his face. The night was still young and the air was getting crisper. Wendy closed her eyes as she absorbed the air around her, regaining some of her lost energy. Lucy was panting from loss of breath. Her legs felt heavy but, paid no mind to it. She was feeling slightly safer, getting away from the guild. However, something tugged in her chest. A Strong dark feeling pricked at her heart. She couldn't place that feeling, nor understood what it meant. The heat calmed down inside, the fire left her system but, the nagging feeling was getting stronger the further she got from Natsu. Lucy tripped over a hole in the ground making her skid across. Gray stopped and pivoted around to catch her just in time. Wendy stopped next to them and her eyes darted to the now swollen ankle on Lucy.

"Lucy, let me fix that quickly" Lucy closed her eyes as her heart was beating rapidly from the run. Blood rushed to her face, making her look entirely flushed.

"Wendy, i'm okay. We got to keep going" she panted heavily.

Wendy shook her head, "No, you'll make it worse, sit still" Gray held onto Lucy while Wendy kneeled over to start healing the swollen ankle. Lucy hissed from the sudden sharp pain from it then closed her eyes. Her hands gripped tightly onto Gray's injured arm. He cringed, biting his lip and Wendy looked towards him.

"Gray, are you hurt too?" the dragonslayer spoke quietly while his face pinched.

"Yeah but it's not something that will slow me down. You can always help me later, Wendy. Right now we got to move as soon as you're done with her" Wendy nodded and quickly finished Lucy's ankle. A loud explosion was heard in the distance, all three snapping there heads in the direction.

A fire pillar was shot high into the sky, "Natsu..." Lucy whispered. She can feel the sudden heat pulse from her left arm. Not nearly as hot as it was before though. She narrowed her eyes to Gray and Wendy, "We have to go, Now. He's out" Lucy moved out of Gray's arm before she bolted away quickly.

' _Dad, it's up to you now_ ' Gray thought quickly before him and Wendy followed after Lucy.

* * *

Giant spikes of pink ice shot from the floors and walls, targeting the fire demon. Silver moved his arms quickly, re-attempting to capture Natsu.

"Like hell I'll let you do that again, you damn human!" Natsu growled angrily, "Because of you they got away from me, AGAIN!" he roared. Fire shot out from him, heating the air rapidly.

Silver tried to emanate his own cold air to keep his temperature in control but, he was getting weaker by the second. ' _I don't have much time, damn it_ ' his eyes darted to the incoming fire wall.

"Go back to the ground, Silver" the demon snarled when he impaled the demon slayer towards the ground. Waves of fire flickered off Natsu's body, surrounding the two of them.

Silver grit his teeth and grabbed onto the demon's shoulders, "I'm not letting you get near them, E.N.D"

Natsu's eyes were a piercing bright red, growing more furious by the second. "No one is allowed to call me that" he hissed. He grabbed Silver's neck and sunk his claws in. The demon slayer coughed, barely catching his breath. "I'd torture you for the next century but, sadly i don't have time to play with you" He thrusted his other arm towards silver punching his face into the ground. Silver coughed up blood and the demon slayer laughed in a mocking manner.

Natsu's eyes narrowed, "What's so funny?"

Silver's pink ice shot up from the ground behind the wall of flames, "You never pay attention when you're angry, you stupid demon" He kicked Natsu back with full force, "Devil Ice Make: Heaven's Tundra" The ground below them shot up into the air, freezing all the flames around them. Natsu got impaled from behind from one of the spikes as the ice below them continued to soar into the sky. Silver got up halfway when he clasped his one hand closed, "Break" he muttered to himself, finishing the enchant. Pink Ice columns surrounded them in the sky, Circling both of them entirely before it curled and shot downwards towards the fire demon. Natsu hissed as the stinging ice continued to paralyze his movements. Shards of ice impaled his body, freezing him over into a giant ice prison. Silver coughed up more blood, feeling his magic entirely drained. He turned to look down below, realizing he's a few hundred feet into the air.

' _Seems i got a long way to go, to catch up to them_ ' Silver turned slightly to look at the frozen rock. "That should hold you for a bit longer, END. Be good and stay put while i go sort some things out" he spoke loudly. He jumped off the ice block and slid down on it's side towards the ground.

* * *

Gray, Lucy and Wendy decided to take a small break to catch their breaths. Everyone was coated with sweat including Gray. Normally he'd already have cooled himself down but, being still injured, his magic was also exhausted to it's limit. Lucy closed her eyes, feeling the air around her. She can barely pick up Natsu's presence but, that too was fading. Wendy moved over to Gray and touched his wrapped arm. He groaned when Wendy tried to move it. "Hold still" she said sternly. Lifting the cloth off, her eyes popped, "You call this a slight problem?" she nearly yelled, something entirely unusual for her. Lucy opened her eyes over to them and she too, had her eyes popping.

Gray had a large hole punctured into his arm and he grit his teeth from the pain. "It's not like i was just going to ignore it. Things kept happening, i had no time to treat it" he spoke between his gritting teeth. Wendy huffed and started to work on the injury quickly.

Lucy moved over to Gray's other side when she spoke calmly, "I think, your father will be here soon. I can barely feel out Natsu's presence. So..." she swallows thickly before her eyes furrowed to the ground, "...I think he must've done something to slow him down again"

Gray looked over to Lucy and grimaced, "and here i was hoping to have a small smack down with the damn pyro"

Lucy playfully smacked his shoulder, "I don't want you hurting yourself anymore than you have, Gray"

He snorted, "Now you're going to sound like my dad..." he immediately quieted after the words. The area grew silent when they all heard tree branches snapping nearby. Wendy stopped her magic and focused on the sounds.

Silver emerged from the shadows and walked towards them carefully. Gray's eyes widened when he noticed his injured father starting to collapse. Wendy ran to him and the ice mage barely caught him into his arms. "What the hell happened" he said loudly. Silver wheezed as they placed his back against a nearby tree, sitting up. He glanced over to them before looking at his son.

"I honestly, don't know how long we have" He closed his eyes as he smiled faintly, "I don't have much time either. That necromancer only has probably five minutes at most before i fade with him" He coughed and more blood came up.

Gray started to panic and hovered over his dying father. "No, I'm not going to lose you again!"

Silver shot a stare towards him, "Its not like i have a choice. I'm alive now because of that thing" He moved his son away when he sat up, holding his hands out in front of him. "I gathered this magic because of you" he said quietly. "At first, i was upholding a vendetta against all demons. However, i realize now I'll never be able to finish what i started with those demons of Tartaros breathing down my neck. END only kept me around to keep those other demons in check" he continued as he took in another deep breath. His lungs stung from the air making him wheeze again, "Gray, I'm sorry i couldn't have been a better father for you, even now i realize hiding wasn't so smart.."

Gray shook his head furiously, "I don't care about that anymore. You're here now, that's what matters!"

Silver laughed half-heartedly. "Yeah, if you call me talking being alive. My heart doesn't even beat, everything else hurts like hell though" He groans when he tried to stand up but Gray holds him down.

"Don't move!" the devil slayer frowned, grabbing his son's hand. Wendy and Lucy moved away to let them talk more privately.

Silver stared into his son's dark eyes when he spoke more quietly, "Listen to me boy, When i finally die this time, I need you to take care of yourself. Right now, you're alive and it better stay that way for a long time. I don't want to see you up there anytime soon"

Gray started to let tears slip from his eyes, his chest tightened as he fought back sobs, "I only just got to see you again..." the ice mage said shakily.

Silver smiled a bit more, "Yeah and I never been more proud of you than now. I'm sure your mother will feel the same way" Gray embraced his father tightly when he started to cry. Silver held him tightly back as the quiet continued once more.

Lucy only watched, small tears escaped as she tried to remember the time with her mother. Even if she never got to see her father for the last time, Lucy can still remember that moment when her mother turned to walk away from her and Leo. Wendy darted her eyes between the small reunion and Lucy. She bit her lip when she couldn't even remember her parents. Grandeeney, her dragon parent was the only thing she had in her past. That she can remember anyway.

A small heat wave pulsed in Lucy's arm, snapping her attention back. Gripping her left arm she spoke quietly, "Natsu...i think he's waking up" Silver pulled away from Gray and looked at her.

He got up carefully and walked towards the celestial mage. Lucy's eyes widened, he towered over her tremendously. She strained her neck to look at him while he spoke, "Let me see that arm, miss" Gray walked over to them and watched carefully.

Lucy lifted her arm towards the man, exposing the scaled bite mark. His brows furrowed when he held onto her arm. He moved his other hand over it and started mumbling words no one could understand. Steam escaped the scaly patch, making Lucy grit her teeth. "That hurts.." she breathed.

Silver looked at her carefully when he shook his head, "That's a nasty curse he placed on you" he said quietly. Lucy pulled her arm back slowly, holding it close to her chest.

"You know what he did?" Gray said barely keeping his cool. Silver looked at him then back at Lucy, "Only a vague idea. He indeed transferred his magic power to her but, it also seems he put a part of himself in that as well" Lucy's eyes popped as well as Gray.

The ice mage nearly yelled, "HE DID WHAT TO HER? I SWEAR WHEN I SEE THAT PINK-HAIRED BASTARD, I'M GOING TO BEAT HIS SORRY ASS!" Raising his fist to himself, shaking from the anger. Lucy hung her head low when another heat wave pulsed through her. Her breath hitched when a familiar voice echoed in her head, ' _Lucy, Help me.._ '

Silver looked at her, studying her carefully, "Girl, are you alright?" Gray snapped out of it and looked towards his friend while Wendy watched with worry.

Lucy shook her head, "We have to go, Now. He's coming again...He.." She looked at them, panic spreading through her eyes, "Natsu is talking to me. I think he got out from whatever he was trapped in. He's asking for help..." she panted, while more pulses of fire shot through her. Holding her head with her palms, Silver walked over to her again. He touched her arm when steam escaped from his touch.

"She's burning up" he said quickly then turned to Gray. "It seems he is indeed closing in, fast. Gray, make a sword now"

Gray nodded and held his arm out, "Ice make: Cold Excalibur" A beautifully sculpted sword formed in his grasp. "What's this for anyway?" he said quietly.

Lucy gripped tighter onto her head, hearing his voice again, ' _Lucy, come to me. Please..'_ her heart was beating rapidly and kneeled over. Silver glanced at her before turning around towards Gray. Without any warning, he took Gray's hand holding the sword and plunged it into his own heart.

* * *

The ice around Natsu started to steam, cracks formed as he started to fight his way out. Few moments later, the ice cracked, making a loud echo in the sky. Dark flames shot out towards the sky, melting everything in its reach. The air became hot quickly as the ice below him started to shatter to pieces. ' _I'm getting really tired of these games_ ' he thought to himself. He flipped himself over and looked ahead. His eyes watched the smoke from the city emanating everywhere. The flames started to die down when rain started to fall. His pink locks hung low when he grinned widely, showing his canines under the moonlight. "Lucy, I'm coming for you" He spread open his wings widely and took off towards the forest. Small embers flickered from behind as steam rolled off him from the incoming rain.

* * *

Everyone watched in shock from the sight between Silver and Gray. The ice mage dropped his hand, face struck with confusion and horror. Not being able to speak, Silver's head hung low. "It's complete...my power...is yours now, Gray" He stumbled over and Gray caught him. Tears fell down his face again as he fell onto his knees with his bloodied father in his arms.

Gray screamed loudly, "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" the devil slayer didn't say anything. Gray gripped tightly onto his father as tears rolled down his face, "Why..." he breathed, choking from the lack of air into his lungs. The feeling he felt at the moment was entirely unexplainable. Everything in his world faded around him as he listened to his father''s quiet, stuttering breaths. Silver pushed himself off Gray and rolled onto his side. Gray ripped the sword out of him quickly and it shattered in the air.

"It had to be done, You're the only one that can stop him now, boy" He choked out his words when his body started to glow. ' _It seems Keyes too was at his last moments_ '. Silver grit his teeth, knowing where the dead demons return to. The restoration chambers back in Tartaros.

Gray punched the ground, making a small crater coated in ice. Sudden strange tingles shot in his arms, something he felt not too long ago. Silver turned his head, smiling at his son. "Be a good boy and live for me, your mother and for your friends, Gray" he barely spoke the last words when his body suddenly turned to dust, blowing up into the air. Gray screamed loudly towards the sky, tears streaming down his face. Lucy and Wendy held onto each other, silently crying from the sight.

Lucy's arm throbbed strongly as her hair stood on end. Snapping her gaze to the east, she saw a small approaching shadow in the distance. Lucy stood up and Wendy looked at her, "Lucy what's wrong?"

Lucy ran over to Gray and shook his shoulders, "Gray snap out of it, Natsu will be here in a few moments!" Gray wiped his tears and glared off in the direction Lucy was pointing. He nodded and stood up, his throat feeling scratchy and strained. Wendy's eyes darted to the east as well. The air was growing thicker, hotter, "He's coming" she mumbled loudly. Lucy looked towards Wendy, "We have to run!"

Gray grabbed Lucy's shoulder, "it's too late to do that" His eyes were suddenly serious. Black marks started to stretch across his right arm, reaching up to his right eye. His hair spiked upwards and a dark, cold aura started to emanate around him.

They all turned their gazes to the incoming shadow, "I'm ready for you, END" Gray spit angrily under his breath.

* * *

Natsu saw in the closing distance, three people. A tall, male, the small dragonslayer and then Lucy centered behind them. Grinning, he soared faster towards them. Flames flickered off his body, creating a large wave of fire around him. Stretching his arms out, he smacked his hands together hard, creating a large wave of fire shooting out from him and towards the small group. He knew it'll do no harm to Lucy, so he wasn't going to hold back in the slightest. Large spears of pink ice came rushing towards him, one pierced his left wing. Natsu snarled and pulled the ice out immediately. Crushing it in his grasp. He glowered below to the familiar ice mage he saw before.

"So that's what the damn devil slayer planned" He hissed under his breath.

The boy grinned up at him, "Yeah, now its my turn to freeze your sorry ass, Devil Ice make: Frozen Rain!" The rain overhead started to freeze into sharp objects, crashing into the fire demon. Smoke and steam radiated off him while he whipped his wings overhead to block most of it. Natsu growled and lunged towards the ice mage.

Wendy jumped into the air, reactivating her Dragon force. She yelled loudly pouring her power into it, "Sky dragon's secret art, Shattering Light: Skydrill!" powerful gust of winds and light shot towards Natsu, slicing up his body from the impact.

Gray smashed both his fists together, "Devil ice make: Destruction Bow" Stretching his arms out, a large bow appeared, black sparks flew from it as he aimed at Natsu. "Bite through this, END" a wave of pink ice arrows shot rapidly from one pull of the string.

Natsu hissed from the collision of attacks, barely able to focus on his agenda. The demon started to laugh maniacally, silencing everyone. He looks down, amusement filling his eyes, "hasn't anyone thought for one moment, on who you're dealing with. No matter how many times you hit me..." steam started to escape the cuts on his arms. All the wounds started to heal, "It'll just be pointless" Cracking a wide grin, dark flames poured out of him and soared to the sky, lighting up the area. Lucy stepped back, grabbing Natsu's attention. "One sentence is all i want to hear right now from Lucy and all of this can stop"

Lucy balled her fists, "Haven't you done enough already!?" she yelled angrily.

Natsu barked out laughing, "Don't you get it, They're all fighting because of you, Luce. They won't stop until they're _Dead_ " Lucy's voice was caught as she eyed her two friends in front of her.

A tear fell down her face as she bit her lip, "Why don't you just go away then. Stop hurting my family...Natsu"

The demon continued to laugh as Gray yelled, "Stop laughing and get on with it, you pink haired freak!" More Ice arrows shot from the bow towards the demon.

Natsu waved his arm as fire flew in front of him. Only some arrows pierced through the blaze, making Natsu dive under. His feet caught onto the ground, holding himself up with one arm. His head hung low as his fire started to flicker again around him. His wings coiled back and the air grew hot. "They won't stop, Luce. Now instead of watching your friends die, come here"

Wendy lunged at him, raising her fist as the air coiled around her, "Never going to let you have her!" Right before Wendy punched the demon, Natsu flicked his head up and grabbed her hand. Gripping tightly, her bones cracked. Wendy yelped from the pain, making her back arch from not being able to hold herself up. Gray ran towards them, switching out his bow to another large sword. He swung the ice sword towards the hand holding Wendy and Natsu recoiled his arm back. The sword hit the ground between them sending them both flying back. The force was so heavy, the flames around were snuffed out. A small ice crater was left behind when he turned towards the demon. Natsu snarled, curling his lips back harshly towards Gray.

The ice mage snickered towards him, "Let's get this over with" Natsu growled and lunged towards him. Lucy dived over to Wendy who was barely conscious.

Holding her head onto her lap, Wendy panted heavily as she tried to look up to Lucy, "I'm sorry, i tried, i really did, Miss Lucy."

Lucy shook her head and moved her blue stands of hair away from her face. "You did fine, Wendy, hush now, you need to rest" Wendy nodded as sharp pains were throbbing through her small frail arm. Gray and Natsu were clashing continuously as Lucy watched from a distance. She wanted to cry again but couldn't. It seems all her tears dried up. Her heart was beating rapidly from nervousness, afraid for her friends. The entire guild fought with all their might for her and yet... it seems it'll all be in vain soon. Gray was already exhausted and even with his new ability from his father, It's still straining him.

Fire and Ice was all Lucy can see at the moment. Constantly clashing while causing waves of hot and cold air around the area. Lucy's left arm stopped throbbing, it seems to only trigger when she gets too far from him. She shook her head as she tried to think of what's going to happen to her now. Lucy figured Natsu would've listened...even for just a moment for her. How wrong she was, even after the small intimate moments she had with him, it didn't make a difference now. Apparently it didn't mean anything. He wants her for whatever purpose and was hurting everyone that got in his way. Lucy balled her fists and looked down towards Wendy. Another small explosion was set off from a collision between them. Thick dirty air mixed with the smoke that lingered around them. Lucy coughed and quickly pulled Wendy from the area.

Natsu pivoted towards the ice mage, grabbing the ice sword tightly. Heavy sparks of dark magic pulsed outwards from the contact, as painful as it was for the demon, he didn't move his hand. Gray glared at the demon, panting heavily. Sweat continued to drip from his face when the demon suddenly lunged a fist towards him. The ice mage was sent flying back a few feet and Natsu lunged towards him. Red flames flickered off his arm and was about to crash into Gray again until Lucy yelled, "STOP IT NATSU! I MEAN IT!" Inches from the ice mage's face, he stopped. Gray hissed between his teeth and kicked the demon back a couple feet.

Natsu picked himself up and glared towards Lucy. "What is it now" he spoke irritably. Lucy ran over to him and and grabbed his tattered cloak. Eyes burning into his. Gray was at a loss for words as he watched the two.

"I'm tired of this fighting, before it even started i didn't want to see any of this" she gritted her teeth.

Natsu grabbed her hand gently and held it to his face, "You could've stopped it a lot sooner if you had just listened to me..."

Lucy closed her eyes as she spoke bitterly, "As if anyone would want to walk towards their enemy willingly" Gray moved and Natsu shot him a glare.

Pulling Lucy into his arms tightly he spoke quietly, "Who said anything about me being your enemy"

Lucy glared up at him, "You're an enemy the moment you touched my family" Natsu growled again and pulled her up into his arms while spreading out his wings.

Gray shouted, "Lucy get out of there, now!" The demon launched them into the air.

Lucy yelped and looked down, "What're you doing! PUT ME DOWN!" she screeched between panicking.

Natsu whispered into her ear, "I'm never letting you go now" Lucy closed her eyes and shuddered. Small comfortable waves of heat pulsed through her. Despite being a nervous wreck before, it slowly started to calm her.

Her eyes opened and darted down to her friends, "Don't you dare lift another finger towards them or i swear..."

Natsu smirked, "And if they get in my way again, i can't promise anything" Lucy moved her arm and yanked at his ear. Natsu suddenly yelps and grabs her hand only for her to pull on it tighter.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HURT THEM EVER AGAIN! CALL BACK YOUR STUPID MINIONS!" His ears rang loudly. He snarled when he grabbed her hand away tightly.

Lucy still glared at him and he spoke between his teeth, "and you won't do that again. That hurt"

Lucy huffed, not caring in the slightest. "Hardly compared to that bite you did" Natsu's eyes narrowed to her arm. Realizing it wasn't covered anymore.

His heart beat a little faster and he lowered his head to her. "Says you" he murmured. Lucy looked at him in the eyes, Natsu's dark green eyes returned, shining under the pale moonlight that peaked between the clouds. Gray was shouting in the distance but Lucy couldn't hear his words anymore. She knew she shouldn't have approached Natsu. Something pulled her to do so. Her body started to walk on its own like a magnet. Without thinking she just grabbed onto him as a feeling of relief washed over her. Thinking about it now, her dear friends, Gray and Wendy are safe for the time being. She couldn't ask for anything more. A tear rolled down her cheek as she tried not to think about the rest of her guild that laid in the rubble back in Magnolia.

Natsu stared at her shimmering blonde hair, slowly pulling it away from her face. His body hummed from her presence and his heart was beating faster. Entirely unaware of the feeling behind it. He felt relieved, relaxed, now that the chasing was done and she was in his arms. ' _Finally he thought_ '. They hovered over the ocean, listening to the waves below. Natsu's wings beat slowly, keeping them still in the air. He tilted her head towards him, her brown eyes stared into his. Lucy didn't seem annoyed anymore, just curious. He lowered his head to her, foreheads touched when he spoke quietly, "You're not a prisoner, Lucy. I'm going to take very good care of you.." his hot breath tickled Lucy's face and she shuddered again. He chuckled lightly and moved his face closer to hers.

Lucy closed her eyes, heart beating out of her chest, His lips barely brushed hers when he mumbled, "sleep now"

Her body was suddenly feeling exhausted and weak. Her eyes remained closed and her heartbeat slowed down, under her breath she spoke, "Natsu.."

He kissed the top of her head softly as she fell asleep in his arms. Natsu moved his head back, watching the sleeping girl before turning his gaze ahead. They were close to town again, "No one is going to take you away from me..." he said quietly. "...You're mine now" and he took off towards the city. The sun started to rise in the horizon, barely illuminating the calm ocean. The sky was a tickled pink and a dark blue, the beginning of a new day as well as dark reminder of who triumphed the passing night.

* * *

 **AND NOW! for the preview :3  
**

* * *

 _*~_ _' _What am i doing?_ ' he shook his head as he was changing his own thoughts, ' _the sleeping spell i placed on her, must've been a little too strong if she can't remember much. It's been a long time since I've last used it..._ ' Natsu opened his eyes and caught her looking at him. Lucy's arms were folded across her chest, the brown eyes staring straight at him. The corner of his lip curled upwards, "Feeling better now?" he spoke while watching the expression on her face change... ~*_

 **See you Next chapter ;)**


	13. Chapter 12: Memory

**AN: Wow...we already made it this far *claps and pats for everyone*  
**

 **I can't express enough of how thankful i am to you guys for making it this far. I hope you guys continue enjoying this story with me. Feel free to leave a review, It'll mean a lot to hear from my individual readers :3**

 **AND SUPER BIG THANKS to: my current reviewers and supporters, there's still plenty more to see before boarding the feels train.  
**

 **Oh by the way...**

 **NALU fluffiness!...sort of...kind of...from here and these next few chapters (O.O)/**

 **Please, enjoy this new chapter!**

 ** _*Preview at the end*_ **

* * *

' _It's quiet..._ '

' _...too quiet_ '

Lucy couldn't hear anything while she was laying there. Not wanting to open her eyes, she knew she was somewhere different. Afraid, she already knows where she might be. The area was warm, comfortable. She didn't move, she only listened to the quiet room. Taking a deep breath, she opens her eyes, one at a time. She looks at the dark room, noticing the black curtains circling the bed frames. It was definitely that room again. However, she knew she wasn't sleeping. Lucy knew she was widely awake, an odd feeling for the most part. Knowing where she was, she was afraid mostly because she's unaware of how far she is from home. Unaware of the aftermath of that long night. Thoughts ran through her head about the safety of her friends, her only family. Lucy sat up, very, very slowly. Taking in another breath, she looks at the large bed. Lucy was alone, for now.

Lucy flipped off the blanket and looked around herself. Her eyes widened and touched the maroon fabric on her body. She gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes, trying to remember when she ever changed her clothes. She couldn't remember anything at the moment. Lucy can barely remember anything after splitting apart Gray and...

"...Natsu" she breathed.

She moved out of the bed carefully, watching her footsteps. The only thing she's thankful for at the moment, was her enhanced hearing. She can pick up every little sound in the area but, who's to say he wasn't listening in either? Her brows furrowed, looking around the room. The red flames flickered around, creating small shadows on the walls. Only realizing it now, she looked down at the bed, ' _My keys..._ ' She started flipping up the pillows and blankets. Looked around the night stands near the bed, checked the floors. Lucy balled her fists and her jaw clenched. ' _He would take them, wouldn't he?_ '

The girl tip-toed around the room, watching her every step. The ground was made with solid stone and wooden beams. Easily stepping over the wood, she noticed the window at the far side. Walking slowly over to it, she glanced outside. Hands slowly rising towards the glass, she can see the dark red sky. Flickers of lightening shot across the sky with small rumbles of thunder echoing in the distance. ' _At least it's not all pitch black like before..It's still strange though_ ' The area still felt like an entirely different world to her. Lucy glanced at her left arm, the bite mark in her scaly patch was still there. Although, her face pinched when she couldn't feel anything different at the moment. There was no burning, not even a strand of abnormal heat. ' _Is he even around?_ ' she thought. Turning around she saw a small door to the side and a large double door across the room.

Without giving it too much thought, she opened the smaller door. The double-doors she knew was probably the main doorway out of the room. Lucy walked into the other room, rather, a large bathroom. A double sink was across with large arched mirrors, trimmed with wood and gold pieces. There was a window centered on the wall. It overlooked an entire empty area. The trees looked barren, the ground had no grass, just rocks and dirt. There was a large jacuzzi in the corner of the room. It was rimmed with dark wood and the tub itself was made with black marble. After looking around, she turned to see a pile of clothes, neatly folded on a small rack by the tub. Lucy bent over to it and flipped through it.

"my clothes..." she breathed, afraid to have anyone hear her. Her eyes narrowed, "like hell I'll bathe in this place when i don't know who's watching" she mumbled a bit before balling her fists. She grabbed her clothes and went towards the large closest by the entrance. Closing herself in the closest, she saw piles of towels and robes hung neatly. ' _Considering he's a demon, I'm impressed with the decor of this place_ ' she thought. Not taking another moment to waste, she pulled off the odd nightdress and dressed into her normal clothes.

A door closed outside of the bathroom. Lucy froze and swallowed slowly. Her heart was beating rapidly and carefully breathed through her nose. Holding a hand to her mouth she listened further. Quiet footsteps were made and Lucy almost gasped. ' _Is that Natsu?_ ' she thought while trying not to panic. Opening the closest door as quietly as possible, she stepped out. The bathroom door was still closed. Taking a very slow step across, Lucy moved towards the large window and looked down. Apparently jumping out of the window was not an option. From what she can she, the room was on the top floor and another few floors to get down. She wouldn't even survive if she tried. Huffing she looked towards the bathroom entrance, almost glaring. ' _Not like i have a choice it seems_ ' Lucy thought bitterly. Right as she started walking towards the door, she heard a knock. Her heart jumped out of her chest, wanting to say something but, she didn't.

Her face went pale, trying to think of different scenarios to go through. Nothing seemed to point in any good directions. Natsu was unpredictable at this point. She doesn't know how he thinks, nor what he wanted from her. Lucy thought into it more now. Natsu finally has her and she still doesn't know what exactly he wants with her.

"Lucy, are you in there?" a familiar voice spoke.

Lucy narrowed her eyes, face going red. "Y-yeah, I'll be right out" her eyes darted back towards the window. ' _There really is no other way out of here?_ ' she thought as she looked around. The voice definitely was his. Natsu was standing outside of that door. Her heart continued to beat out of her chest, panicking. Without thinking, she opened the window lock carefully. She was small enough to fit through the opening. Lucy looked down, there was small grooves on the sides, large enough to walk on. Her eyes darted to a stair-like structure on the far left side of the window. Taking a huge breath, she stepped a foot outside. Feeling her weight onto it, it felt sturdy enough to hold her. Lucy nearly screamed when she felt a hand touch her shoulder.

"And what do you think you're doing?" he spoke quietly with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Lucy didn't turn around, instead she just hopped right out of the window. Closing the window behind her she slid across the sides quickly. As soon as she reached the flat roof top, Lucy ran for the stair structure. The girl slid a few times and jumped down to the stairs. She nearly made it to the next floor when Natsu jumped in front of her. He grabbed her tightly and flew back up into the air. Lucy screamed and yelled. Throwing her fists into his chest, he only just ignored it.

"Stop it! Let me go!" Lucy screamed, her voice echoing loudly in the air. Sudden thunder cracked loudly into the sky, shushing the girl to silence. A tear fell down her cheek, "Why am i here? What's going on...What happened in Magnolia?" She didn't even turn her face towards him. Natsu just stayed hovering in the air holding her. She heard him growl lowly and rain started to fall from above. Lucy groaned quietly, feeling ignored and defeated, she turned her head up to his. He was staring down at her, expressionless. Lucy stared into his empty green eyes. Looking for anything that can give her an idea of what he's thinking. She so badly wanted to run from here but, that idea will just have to wait.

"Why'd you run from me?" he spoke quietly after the long silence. He clearly wasn't amused in the slightest.

Lucy glared over to the ground when she spoke, "I don't want to be here, it's depressing looking"

Natsu growled again when he tilted her head up to him. Her eyes avoided his and he spoke a bit louder, "Well get use to it. You're going to be here a very long time, Lucy"

Lucy snapped her gaze to his finally and glared, "and why's that?" she spoke a bit angrily. He didn't say anything and started to fly back towards their room. The blonde narrowed her eyes to the window she escaped from, looking around for any other quick escape routes. Natsu pulled them back through the window and placed her down.

He locked the window before turning to her, "It's dangerous to run around unsupervised"

Lucy crossed her arms and looked away from him, "...and?" she grumbled.

Natsu stood in front of her, "In about a week, I won't be the only one wandering these halls, Luce"

The blonde looked at him from the corner of her eye, "Don't call me that" she said bitterly.

Natsu shook his head and placed a hand on the top of her head, "Welcome to Tartaros, Luce" he snickered and walked out of the bathroom.

Lucy stomped a foot when she heard the door closed. ' _Great, just great!_ ' she yelled loudly in her thoughts, ' _What am i going to do now?_ ' She slumped down on the floor and leaned onto the small table next to the showers.

Natsu walked around towards his bed, fixing the sheets carefully, ' _Not wanting to be here, huh?_ ' he thought quietly. He moved around towards his desk across the room and sat. Placing a hand under his chin and eyes narrowed to a drawer below. ' _How am i going to fix this? This girl is making it impossible right now, especially trying to escape_ ' he nearly chuckled before he heard the door open. His eyes snapped to it and watched Lucy peek her head out. Natsu remained quiet in the dark as he watched her. Lucy closed the door behind her, then she eyed the bed nearby. He watched her face change to several expressions, annoyance, confusion, anger and then pouting. Natsu wasn't too sure of the last one, he almost laughed loudly watching her drag her feet towards the bed. She sat down and stared towards the window.

He folded his arms across his chest, didn't speak just yet. Natsu just wanted to observe her a bit. Of all the humans he came across, she caught his interest. It wasn't the fact that he needed her to burn down the sorry world they lived in, Lucy wasn't acting like the rest of them. For the most part. From what he knew, when she screamed, cried or got angry, it wasn't for herself. It was towards her friends or him. Natsu kept trying to pick her thoughts, laughing at all the small things she did. She amused him in many ways he never thought of before. Lucy was the first human to ever touch him without being burned. The first to not burn from the inside out, to even manipulate his flames into her own. The celestial mage fascinated him in so many ways, he started to forget what he was originally suppose to do. Natsu knew he had to get close to her to get what he wants. It didn't necessarily mean he had to be emotionally involved himself but, he knew he was slipping. Normally he'll throw his prisoners below in the cells. Tortured them for days while watching. He'd even send the other demons to play with them. But, Lucy was different.

He sighed quietly to himself, Lucy didn't even pay attention to him. She seemed lost in her own world, staring towards the open window. The girl wasn't afraid of him, didn't hesitate to talk rudely towards him either. Natsu shook his head, ' _This girl, is going to kill me_ ' he thought. Natsu continued to watch Lucy, Her blonde hair was messy, it seems she still hasn't brushed it. Her washed clothes was dirty again from running outside. He let that thought linger for a moment, feeling slightly agitated now. ' _Why would she run from me?_ ' he slowly started to bite the tip of his thumb while thinking, ' _I told her i was going to take care of her...Has she forgotten? Doesn't she realize even if she got away, We're floating in midair anyway?_ ' Narrowing his eyes, he slammed his hand down. Growling, ' _if i can't get this girl to trust me, the ritual is going to take a hell lot longer to finish. Bad enough she already declared not wanting to be here. Seilah isn't going to let me hear the end of this_ ' He growled louder, finally getting Lucy's attention.

Lucy narrowed her eyes to the growling noise from the far corner of the room. The area was dark but, she can make out the figure sitting behind a dark desk. Natsu was watching her. She snapped her head away, huffing and folding her arms. ' _It's not like i care anyway. He won't hurt me...will he?_ ' she laid down on her back, staring up towards the ceiling. Her heartbeat was finally calm. Even though he was across the room, she really didn't care anymore. ' _What'd he mean we're alone now for a week?_ ' closing her eyes she can hear Natsu getting closer to her. ' _What does he want now? Maybe...i should ask about my keys, although..he would probably just ignore me again anyway_ ' Keeping her eyes closed, the bed sunk in.

Natsu sat behind her and spoke, "You know, you slept through an entire day"

Lucy kept her eyes closed since tuning him out wasn't an option. She only listened, maybe he'll tell her something about outside. "Was i?" she mumbled.

"I didn't mean to keep you asleep that long. Was only suppose to be for a bit, sorry" he spoke quieter. "How much do you remember?"

' _Why is he apologizing? Why is he even trying to make small talk?_ ' Lucy sighed and flipped her eyes open, turning her head towards him. His eyes narrowed to hers, making Lucy feel a bit conscious. She averted her eyes quickly and sat up. "You put me to sleep?...i don't remember much from the other night" Lucy spoke just as quietly. Confused from the sudden change in his attitude. She really can't predict what he's thinking. One minute he can be so cranky and the next he would be calm. "What happened to the city?" speaking barely above a whisper. She really wanted to see her friends at the moment. Wanted to know if they're all okay and safe. Most especially...if everyone made it through alive. Shaking that thought away she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She snapped her eyes to his, feeling his gaze burn through her.

Pink tinted her cheeks when he started to lean in towards her, "You really don't remember anything from last night?" His voice got low and moved his hand to her chin.

Lucy felt her throat tightening and shook her head slightly, "No, i don't. What happened?"

Natsu sighed and let her go. He stood up and started walking towards the door out, "Don't worry about it. Come, let's get you something to eat" Lucy blinked a few times when she suddenly had her stomach growl. She didn't even realize she was hungry at all and he just got done telling her she slept through an entire day. Lucy slid out of the bed and slowly walked towards him, "What're you nervous about? Hurry up Lucy"

She frowned. "I'm not nervous! i just.." she turned her eyes away, "Just didn't expect you to suddenly change topics like that"

Natsu sighed again and grabbed her hand. "So slow" he grumbled and pulled her out of the room with him.

Lucy quickly picked up her pace as he held her wrist. Her eyes stared at their hands while she had this strange feeling in her chest, then turned to look at his face. His eyes were focused ahead, pulling her close behind him. Not realizing where they were walking, he stopped near an open archway. Lucy peeked through the room and noticed a large dining table set out in the middle of the room. Towards the back had a few doors, she assumed one of them being the kitchen. They walked inside and Lucy watched him pull out a chair, "Sit here and wait a bit" Without saying anything, she did as she was told while he walked towards the doors in the back. There was a few chandeliers hung high above them. The ceiling was arched, held up by many wooden beams. Candles were hung everywhere, lighting up the area brightly. Even though the outside was dark and depressing to Lucy, at least this room made it a bit more comfortable. Sighing, she leaned back into her chair, still confused about Natsu.

The things he said a short while ago, what'd he mean by it? What'd she forget? Squeezing her eyes shut, she heard footsteps near her again. Lucy turned her head around, watching him carry a couple plates towards her. Assuming one plate was his, he sat down next to her. Even though she should've been use to eating by strangers, this felt different. It felt awkward. The plate was placed in front of her, filled with a bunch of steaming food. Lucy blinked a few times, "Did you cook this?" He didn't say anything while he poured them a glass of red wine.

"No one else in this place cooks" he said quietly after a few minutes.

Lucy looked back down towards the food and then picked up her fork. Taking a small bite, her eyes widened, "this...is good" she mumbled. Natsu just looked at her before he too, started to eat. For the next thirty minutes, they ate in silence. No one spoke during the entire meal. The sound of utensils towards the plates was the only thing heard when Lucy suddenly cleared her throat, speaking quietly, "...thank you for the food" Natsu picked up her plate and walked off.

Sighing she watched him walk through the back room and leaned onto the table, "just what is with him?" she spoke quietly to herself. He suddenly comes out again with two smaller plates, It looked like cake. Her eyes brightened when he placed them in front of her. A neatly cut slice of chocolate cake, covered in what it seemed like mousse. Taking a small bite, she nearly squealed. "This is amazing" she breathed. Natsu cracked her a light smile and ate his. Lucy didn't seem to notice he was watching her this entire time.

' _So she gets happy over sweets?...noted_ ' He can't remember the last time he ate with anyone though. This had to be the first time in decades...maybe over a century. Natsu never liked to eat around the other demons, it annoyed him more than anything so he only just ate in the kitchen or his room. Whenever they tried to invite him to dinners, he ignored them. Lucy finally seemed to relax, her eyes seemed brighter than it did an hour ago.

Soon as they finished, Lucy slouched forward and folded her arms onto the table, propping her head onto them. She tilted her head towards Natsu, who was still watching her. "I can't remember the last time i had a good meal like that. Feels like it's been ages!" she spoke while smiling.

Natsu leaned his elbow onto the table, a small smirk slid onto his face, "You also like to eat a lot don't you?..and here i thought i gave you too much" he shrugged mockingly.

Lucy frowned, "You just had to kill the atmosphere didn't you?" she got up and grabbed the plates from the table. "I'll clean them this time"

Natsu smiled up at her, "Don't go digging into the fridge either" Lucy glowered and stomped off. He cackled holding his stomach before shortly following after her.

The kitchen seemed to be just as massive as the dining room, maybe a bit bigger. There was open ranges lined up, counter islands centered. Pots and pans hung over the stove-tops. For a moment, she literally forgot she was in a dark castle. It felt like she walked into the back of a fancy restaurant. Her eyes darted to the large basin in the back. Lucy was so absorbed by the area, she didn't even notice Natsu was watching her from close behind.

He leaned onto the wall by the door, arms folded. Lucy's body was shaking slightly as she was washing the small plates. Natsu's eyes locked onto the sway of her hips and closed his eyes. ' _What am i doing?_ ' he shook his head as he was changing his own thoughts, ' _the sleeping spell i placed on her, must've been a little too strong if she can't remember much. It's been a long time since I've last used it..._ ' Natsu opened his eyes and caught her looking at him. Lucy's arms were folded across her chest, the brown eyes staring straight at him. The corner of his lip curled upwards, "Feeling better now?" he spoke while watching the expression on her face change.

"...somewhat" Lucy mumbled and she walked towards him, eyes still staring up to his when she spoke again, "Where are my keys, Natsu?"

Natsu moved a hand behind his head while his face furrowed down to hers, "Those annoying metal bits are locked away for now. Was going to give them back when you woke up but, apparently someone was going to run off without them" He leaned in towards her face, frowning, "I'll give them back when i feel like it"

Lucy's face twisted with slight anger, "That isn't fair Natsu. You took me here against my will, put me under a sleeping spell and you just expect me to be all happy about it? What on earthland goes through that tiny head of yours?"

He sighed loudly and pulled her up to him tightly. Lucy whined into his chest, not giving her any room to move away. He leaned his face into her hair, inhaling her fiery scent that was starting to radiate off of her, "Just bare with me for awhile. I'm sure over time, you'll understand, Luce"

She snorted, "Right. I also said not to call me that" Lucy tried to wiggle away from him but his grip was too tight. Natsu picked her up shortly after, making the blonde squeak loudly, "What're you doing now? Put me down this instant! i can walk just fine."

Natsu cackled and leaned his face into hers, "Not a chance" He carried her towards a door that led outside. Lucy buried her face into his chest, feeling frustrated. After awhile he finally stopped walking, "Look in front of you, Lucy"

She tilted her head over to the side. The sky was barely illuminated from the sun rising. Her eyes widened, seeing the ocean stretched out in front of her. He placed her down and she stepped towards the edge. Lucy looked down and paled. The thought of falling was terrifying her. They really were on a floating cube. A sudden image flashed into her mind, making her gasp slightly.

 _Natsu's voice echoed into her head, his face was so close hers. 'You're not a prisoner here, Lucy. I'm going to take very good care of you' His dark green eyes burned into hers. Lucy felt her eyes closing when she suddenly felt his lips brush hers, 'sleep now...'_

Natsu's voice snapped her out of that memory when she turned her head towards him. Eyes widening, ' _did he just..._ ' she took a step away from him. Natsu was genuinely confused now. ' _Was this the memory I've forgotten?_ ' she thought while feeling panicked and confused. 'Y _ou really don't remember, do you?_ ' his voice echoed again.

Natsu reached out towards her and Lucy flinched back. ' _Why did that even happen? I don't even like him like that...do i? no, no ...none of this makes sense_ ' Lucy started to shake her head and Natsu grabbed her into his arms. Lucy can still feel the warm air surrounding them that night. The ocean breeze that flew through her hair while they were flying. He took her away from Gray and Wendy, away from her friends. They all fought to keep her away from him and she just...

"Lucy, are you alright? Is something wrong?" he spoke with concern lingering between his words. Lucy sighed and spoke quietly, "just forget it, i think i'm just tired. I want to sleep.." Natsu tried looking at her face but she kept her head low. He picked her up again and carried her away to his room.

Natsu placed her into his bed carefully, "Call for me if you need anything" and he walks out of the room. Lucy pulled the blanket over her head, deeply concerned about herself. ' _Why did i forget something like that? What is wrong me with me?_ ' Burrowing herself under the blankets, she quietly sobbed to herself. Annoyed, frustrated and now confused. ' _Says i'm not a prisoner and just isolates me from everything. I don't care if he tries to be nice, he hurt my friends, my family..._ " she sobbed louder until a light flashed into the room.

"Lucy!" a familiar voice spoke.

Lucy ripped off her covers and stared out in front of her. The all too familiar orange haired man in his usual suit and glasses. She practically lunged herself at him, knocking him onto his back. Tears streamed down her face with joy, "Leo!" she managed to speak loudly between tears, "Leo I've missed you so much! You're alright too! I'm so happy!"

Leo held her tightly into his arms, leaning his head onto her. His face pinched when he suddenly inhaled an uncomfortable scent. The smell of the man he loathed with his entire being, ' _END_ ' he thought angrily. However, now wasn't the time to think about it. His concern right now, was the safety of Lucy. "Lucy you're alright, I'm glad" He moved her away from him slightly, checking for any injuries. Leo's eyes darted all over when she cleared her throat.

"Leo, I'm fine. Honestly, as hard as it seems to believe" her voice grew quiet, " he hasn't done anything yet to hurt me...since that _incident_ " She looked towards the bed on the side before something else occurred to her, "Leo, you can't stay here long. If Natsu sees you here..." worry started filling her voice and picked herself up. "How'd you even get here? He...took away my keys"

"It took me awhile to recover myself, Lucy. Sorry i took so long. It also seems you forgot i can move myself between realms. As long as i can feel your magic, I'll find you" Leo grimaced at her, patting her shoulder. "Where are we anyway? Where is that stupid lizard" he spoke bitterly.

Lucy frowned and spoke quieter, "It seems i been forgetting a lot of things lately" She sighed before speaking again,"I can't feel him at the moment, He left a little while ago before you came here. This place...is Tartaros and this is his chambers" saying the last few words barely above a whisper. Feeling slightly ashamed, she held herself in her own arms. Tightening her grip over her left arm most especially.

Leo's face paled slightly and he spoke quieter, "I see. Has he said anything to what he's going to do, anything at all?" Lucy shook her head.

"He hasn't told me anything. Actually, he only took me around to eat and look outside. Supposedly promised I'll be here a long time, taking care of me. I really don't know anything else" her eyes started to plead with him, hoping there was a way he can help her, "Is there a way you can take me out of here?"

Leo sighed and looked around the room, "I don't know..."

Lucy's heart jumped, a burning pulse washed through her. Straining her ears, Lucy can hear growling in the distance, "Leo, you have to get out of here now. I think he noticed you, he's coming!" she said quickly in a whisper.

Leo nodded, "I'll be back when i can, Lucy. For heaven's sake, take care of yourself" and he disappeared into a bright light. The door slammed opened moments later and Lucy was sitting on the bed, legs folded as well as her arms. Her eyes were focused towards the door when Natsu showed his face.

"Where is he?" he hissed under his breath.

Lucy shrugged, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm the only one in this room"

Natsu glared at her and walked towards the middle of room, small embers flickered off his body, "I heard that stupid cat. His smell is in this entire room, Luce"

Lucy glowered to him, "He's not here anymore, Natsu"

He growled louder and walked over to Lucy. She shrunk back slightly but, attempted to keep her glare on him. He leaned towards her face, heat rolling off him in waves, "How'd he get here?" he said slowly. Lucy swallowed heavily as her eyes darted towards the bed.

"He can move around freely. I don't need his key to summon him" a small smile escaped her lips, slightly giggling. "Honestly, It made me happy to see him again" she knew those words were stinging Natsu. She heard him hiss slightly under his breath and suddenly he moves over her. Pushing her back onto the bed and Lucy yelped from his weight.

He pinned her down, the dark green eyes staring through her, "Don't summon him here again, Luce" he growled quietly. "No one is allowed to touch my things"

Lucy huffed and tried shoving him back, failing too, "I'm not yours, nor am i an object. Now get off! You're too heavy" He moved slightly over to lay onto his side. Arm propping up to hold his head while he looked at her. Natsu's gaze changed though, a longing look was in its place now. Lucy's face flushed slightly, feeling self-conscious again. "What're you doing here anyway? I was trying to sleep until he woke me up..." she mumbled quickly, trying to move to the far side of the bed. Natsu didn't budge, instead he kept his eyes locked onto her. Lucy tucked herself in between the blankets, facing away from him. Her heart was beating loudly, feeling annoyed as well because he can probably hear it too. Her face remained red, pulling the blankets high up so only her eyes peeked over. Natsu sighed and then tucked himself under the blankets as well, facing away from her.

"Get some sleep then" and then he was quiet again.

It suddenly felt like time slowed, hours passing like days. The room got eerily quiet. It was quiet enough that Lucy can hear Natsu's heart beat. It slowed down a lot compared to before, so she can safely assume he fell asleep, which is more than what she can say about herself. Her heart was still beating heavily, nervous from his boldness of sleeping next to her in the same bed, even though it _was_ his room. Lucy turned her head behind slightly, trying to steal a glance. Her eyes softened, realizing how relaxed he looked. His shoulders moved up and down slowly from his breathing and his back was faced away from her. ' _At least he has some manners somewhere in that tiny head_ ' she thought calmly. Her breath stopped when he suddenly turned over but, Natsu was still sleeping. ' _I'm amazed he doesn't snore..._ ' her eyes lingered towards his face. ' _So peaceful looking, isn't he?_ ' A small smile slid onto her face, eyes twinkling slightly. ' _I wish he was human, then maybe...just maybe_ '

Suddenly her face pinched, ' _Ugh, what am i thinking?_ '

Taking a deep breath, she moved her hand slowly over to his sleeping face. Brushing the salmon pink locks to the side. He twitched but his eyes remained closed. ' _So cute..._ ' As much as she'll scold herself later, curiosity has won her over for the time being. Feeling exceptionally daring, she moved over to Natsu carefully. Trying her hardest to not wake him up. Being only a couple inches from him, she can feel the heat radiating off of him. It was calming and for some reason another feeling washed over her. That same odd feeling she couldn't explain before. Lucy's eyes narrowed towards her hand that was lingering over his cheek. Natsu looked almost entirely human, if not for the small red scales covering his cheeks. Lucy moved her hand over to his arm, tracing down carefully before finally pulling her hand back. ' _I really shouldn't be doing this. Seriously, what is wrong with me? He's a horrible demon that hurt my friends and yet...here i am. Sleeping with the guy_ '

Her face went beet-red, only just now realizing it, ' _I need help, this is shameless_ ' these thoughts lingered for awhile.

"...Lucy" Natsu mumbled quietly.

Her thought process went to a complete standstill, slightly panicked until she realized he was only sleep talking. Throwing reason out of the window, she moved herself entirely against him. Taking a deep breath, she finally closed her eyes. It took only moments before she heard him purring again. Lucy focused onto the rumbling in his chest before finally falling asleep herself.

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 **And now for the preview!**

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 _*~ ...The room fell silent and Lucy picked up footsteps coming towards the room. Lucy panicked and pulled Leo away towards the window, making him suddenly alert. The door swung open. Natsu growled at the spirit that was standing behind Lucy. Even though the male towered over her, Lucy held her arm out in front him anyway, "Leo, Go now, please" Lucy pleaded, not taking her eyes off the angry demon... ~*_

 **See you next Chapter!  
**


	14. Chapter 13: Possessions

**AN: I'm hyped, you should be too!  
First, made a new cover art for this story \\(T.T)/ yus...it is major spoilers  
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 **Seriously though, In all sadness this marks the half-way point for the story!**

 **I know! Its that far already and yet not.**

 **...**

 **I'm curious, should i start suggesting "Fairy Tail tracks" to fit these chapters while you read them? To give more** **  
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 **of an atmospheric vibe to it \\(O.O) I'll try this for a bit and if you guys say STOP! then i will (;^;)  
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 **( 100% optional, You don't have to do any of it -^)**

 **...**

 **Leave a review about your opinions or questions so far! \\(^.^)  
**

 **and Enjoy this new chapter !  
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 ***Gets a paper fan* It's just a little warm here okay? Maybe might need it next time too (;^;)\|/**

 **...**

 **Preview at the end O^O**

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 ** _"Song play - Fairy Tail - Sun Village Ost"  
_**

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There he was, laying out on his bed with a human girl in his arms. The most devastating creature to walk this earth will officially be a laughing stock if any of the demons saw him. A part of him will tear the life from them again if they breathed a word about it, yet another part of him just simply didn't care. Natsu was battling a war in his mind, unable to understand the small gestures he's been showing her lately. He also hated the idea of that cat spirit wandering around in his place and felt exceptionally annoyed from the smile Lucy had whenever it was around. Why couldn't she smile at him like that? What would it take? Those thoughts were lingering for awhile until now. On her own free will, without him saying anything or doing anything, Lucy curled up into his arms which woke him up. Having her so close to him and unable to do anything about it, drove him crazy. His heart was racing and it took his entire will power to remain calm. Unable to sleep anymore, his thoughts continued to linger about other problematic issues.

Time was not on his side, Seilah and Kyoka were coming back from their errand soon. If they got word of his slow progress with the girl - no, He didn't want to think about it. Natsu opened one eye towards her and brushed the blonde strands away from her face. His fragile little star was finally in his grasp and soon everything else will fall in place. His face pinched though, again overthinking everything. He wasn't suppose to get himself personally involved with the girl, it'll just throw everything he worked so hard on out the window. A small growl escaped him but the girl didn't even wake up. Natsu looked at her peaceful face, ' _Of all the things out there in existence_ ' he thought to himself, ' _Why does it have to be her? She's just another human girl and yet..._ '

"...Natsu" she breathed quietly.

His thoughts stopped and his eyes softened entirely. He lowered his head over to her and brushed his lips across the top of her head. For now, Natsu knew the only thing he can do to win her over is to just go along with it. After watching and dealing with people for the past century, he knew the easiest way to a girl's heart. Although, if anyone were to ask him a year ago to try what he's doing now, he would've laughed it off before killing them for saying something so ridiculous. Natsu knew deep down, this girl wasn't just a key to him. She was becoming more than just that. Lucy was his now, only his and nothing out there is going to change that. If anyone laid a hand or a finger on her, he'll tear them apart. The lion's spirit's face flashed in his mind again. Snarling, he accidentally woke up Lucy.

"Natsu..?" she said half-asleep. Her foggy brown eyes looked at him, filled with worry and concern.

He took a deep breath before moving out of the bed, "Sorry, just thinking at the moment" Natsu walked over to his desk and pulled something out of the drawer. Lucy yawned and stretched up, cracking some of her joints in the process. She watched him fumble with the drawers before seeing a large book being pulled out.

Natsu stared at the offending old, leather-bound book. Eyes narrowing to the letters on the front before turning his glance over to the blonde on the bed. She was watching him, curiously. Taking a deep breath, he knew doing this will probably just back-fire on him. Though right now, it was his only option, his only choice to possibly speed up the process. ' _Let's just hope this works_ ' he thought hesitantly. Taking a few strides back towards the bed, he looked down at her, her brown eyes just staring up at him. Almost as if there wasn't a care in the world and it was just them.

Softening his gaze, he chuckled to himself, "Really, i didn't mean to wake you up" He sat back down on the bed. He looked at her half way, holding the book tightly in his grasp, still thinking heavily on this decision.

Lucy stretched her pale, thin fingers out towards him while still half asleep, "What's wrong, Natsu? Something bothering you?" she spoke quietly but her voice alone was ringing like soft bells in his ears. Feeling completely at ease, he moved the book over to her. Placing it gently down so she can see the cover. Natsu hated being bound by it. Feeling caged like a wild beast. One of the many reasons why he wanted to destroy this world and make his own. Freedom for himself.

* * *

 ** _"Song play - Fairy Tail - Heavenly Wolf Ost"_**

* * *

Lucy moved her fingers over to the cover of the book, tracing the letters that were etched onto it. Natsu watched her curiously, eyes darting to every muscle movement she made, "This is..." she spoke, "Your book isn't it?.." finishing the last few words quietly.

Before she can flip the cover, his hand snapped to hers. Shaking his head quickly, "Don't...Open it. Ever."

Her eyes narrowed, feeling slightly more awake now, "How come?" She still was more curious than anything at the moment.

Natsu lowered his head, thinking carefully on how to word this so it wouldn't frighten her, "This book" he says slowly, "This book was made with nothing but black magic. Pure dark magic, stronger than my own..." His eyes moved to hers, pleading that she can understand what he's trying to say, "This book is to never be opened under any circumstance, by a human anyway. The only other person that can actually open this, without burning from the inside out, Is...Zeref" nearly hissing at the name.

Lucy looked back down towards the book, "What's in it?" not wanting to leave it as just that.

Natsu grimaced, then closed his eyes when he spoke, "This book is basically the story of my life. Everything i have done, said, thought and lived through. Everything is in this book" He balled his fist tightly and without her noticing he moved closer to her, trying to calm himself down, "In short, if anything happens to this book, you can say..I'll know about it" Her gaze went from the book to him, noticing his pained expression.

"What do you mean by that? What..exactly is this book?" Her eyes widened slightly and he smiled darkly at her,

"This book is the reason I'm alive now. The reason i exist, Luce" He pushed the book towards her. Her eyes darted between the book and him, feeling confused. "I want you to hold onto my book, Lucy. Think of yourself as the new proud owner of it" he chuckled at the words, more amusement than it should've been. Now her answer has him curious about what she'll do next. The amount of trust he just tossed at her - his life.

Her breath staggered, completely at a loss when staring down at the book, "I-I don't get it, why would you want me to hold onto something so important like this..." Lucy shook her head in confusion, picking the book up carefully onto her lap despite the words she just spoke.

Natsu tilted his head towards her, moving her hair carefully behind her ear, he murmured, "Because i trust you Luce. I know you won't do anything to hurt me, right?" His heated gaze burned into her bright, brown eyes. He can hear Lucy's heartbeat going out of control again as her fiery scent filled the air, making him lose his train of thought. He leaned in towards her, eyes closing when their foreheads touched.

Her breathing was still staggering when she spoke, "Natsu..." but before she can finish, he placed his lips onto hers, locking them together. He moved his hand slowly behind her head and she melted into his touch.

Her sweet, fiery smell filled his entire being. Her warm, soft lips against his made him long for more. Losing any sense of reasoning, he pushed himself further onto her as Lucy slowly moved down on her back. She sighed quietly as she curled her arms behind his neck, pulling him closer. Their heartbeats were beating louder than anything else in the room. Her body was burning to the touch and it excited him. Natsu never thought it was possible to feel this way about someone. Never knew his black heart can warm to such an unspeakable concept. A human girl and a demon. He pulled back slightly, letting Lucy catch her breath. Her smoldering brown eyes, twinkled up at him. He cupped her face, brushing her cheek with his thumb. Lucy was entirely flustered. Her pale, milky skin made it more obvious by the second. Chuckling quietly to himself, he leaned in again towards her neck, grazing the tip of his canines against her soft skin, hearing her shudder beneath him.

"N-Natsu...what are you...doing?" Lucy felt completely helpless at the moment. She thought about pushing him away but she couldn't help herself. Her mind and body were disconnected from each other at the moment. Nothing was working like it should have. Right now, she can only watch him tease her relentlessly.

Natsu kissed Lucy's neck softly, lips lingering for a few seconds each time he moved. His eyes darted to hers every once in awhile, watching Lucy's reaction change, the sounds she made kept him going. When he finally reached her collarbone, he pressed his warm lips firmly against her thin flesh, hearing a quiet moan escape from her. He grinned to himself, realizing he found a sensitive spot on her. Natsu licked her slowly in between kisses and Lucy gripped his hair, tugging slightly. A small growl escaped him and he nipped at her.

Natsu realized he's been teasing her for too long now. Moving himself up from her, his eyes narrowed and a small warm feeling spiked in his chest from the kiss marks he left on her neck. A feeling he knew that'll get worse if he didn't stop now. Taking a deep breath, he moved himself back down, laying his head just above her chest. Natsu listened to Lucy's breathing and her rapidly beating heart. Her scent was the only thing filling his head at the moment. Unusual thoughts started to form in his foggy mind, things like making her his forever. Moving to the far corners of the world - away from everyone. Natsu started to fade back into sleep as his thoughts continued to roam dangerously.

Lucy's face scrunched, completely shocked, confused and flustered about this whole thing. Catching her breath, she almost asked why did he stop. She tilted her head down, only to see his eyes closed. Almost as if he was trying to fall asleep again. She moved her hand over his head, brushing through the salmon-pink locks that covered parts of his face. Lucy felt Natsu curling his arms around her, pulling her closer to himself.

"You're mine, Luce" he mumbled quietly.

Lucy blushed and kept quiet, especially since she started to feel the drowsiness come back. She tilted her head to the side, only to see the large black book there. Using her free hand, she picked up the book gently and moved it closer towards herself. Lucy was at a loss about how she feels for Natsu at the moment but, deep down she was feeling happy. After all the panic, worry and anger she felt towards the demon, this one moment with him washed it all away...for now. ' _Does he really mean everything he said? This book...and...How does he really think of me...What does he see me as?_ ' her thoughts lingered there while turning her eyes down to him again. He was fast asleep, curled up entirely onto her.

Lucy smiled and continued to pet his head gently, his dark pink locks were laying loosely over her and his face. Her eyes popped when she took a closer look at him. Lucy couldn't believe it. Moving her head up very carefully only to see the scales on his face were gone. Natsu looked entirely human now. She brushed his hair back, hearing him purr loudly. Lucy chuckled and smiled gently, "It seems i may like you a bit after all, Mister Dragneel" she breathed quietly. She laid her head back down, staring up to the ceiling. ' _I don't think i can run from him anymore even if i tried_ ' She closed her eyes, calming her breathing. ' _I fell in deep and i can't seem to find a reason to get out_ '.

Her fingers continued to brush through his hair and he felt completely content. Natsu smiled brightly to himself, succeeding in what he wanted most. However, a part of him wanted more still. Lucy just admitted she liked him but, he wanted her heart too, wanted everything from the celestial mage. So for now, that was his new goal for the time being, at least until he got bored or that strange feeling of his will go away. If either of those were even possible.

* * *

It was finally daylight again and he didn't want to get up. Natsu had to check up on the restoration system, making sure everything was working properly. Sometimes it liked to malfunction and if anything went wrong with it, it'll mean his restoration process will be a problem too. ' _Stupid, useless, incompetent..._ ' His eyes moved towards the blonde next to him. Her stomach growled yet again making him laugh a bit. Lucy was awake of course but, it seemed she didn't want to get out of bed either.

"You're going to have to get up at some point, you know" he said with amusement. Natsu watched as she glanced at him, flustered from the loud stomach of hers. She sat up and crawled out of bed and towards the bathroom.

"I'm...going to shower" she said quickly and locked the door behind.

Natsu sat up and picked up his book from the bed then placed it carefully onto the nightstand. He went up to the door, still having way too much fun teasing the poor girl, "Need me to wash your back?" snickering, he heard a sudden huff through the door.

"NO! I'm fine, thank you" she yelled loudly. Lucy turned to look into the large mirrors, watching herself pale from the sight. There were dark purple marks lining her neck down. Lucy thanked the stars for grabbing a long neck shirt.

Natsu cackled loudly and then quickly ran over to his desk with a skip to his step. Games, he loved to play them. Mess with someone's most precious possession's and they bend so easily. While looking through the tattered scrolls, flipping up some books, he found what he was looking for - Lucy's small key pouch. As much as he hated that stupid lion around her, he felt the need to win some points with her. Natsu was clever though, when he punched a hole into the spirit, he placed a small little curse on him as well. _'the truth binding curse better be effective against these noisy things_ ' he thought bitterly. Eyeing the pouch, he walked back over to the nightstand and placed the keys there. He never really hid them, she just never tried hard enough to look around his room.

The door to the bathroom cracked open, small streams of steam escaped as the blonde walked out from it. His eyes locked onto her wet hair that was curling down her back. When she looked at him, he felt his face flush a bit, "Hurry up and get ready. I'm going to make us something to eat" he said quickly while averting his gaze. Natsu walked towards the door, speaking before he left, "I need to check something first though, better be ready when i get back"

Lucy turned to look at the spot he was standing. Her eyes locked onto her familiar brown pouch that was laying on his book. Her heart jumped with excitement,"MY KEYS!"

Running over to it, she picked it up and started to count her keys. They were all there. The golden keys shimmered brightly from her touch, ' _I missed you guys, I'm so sorry about losing you.._ ' she thought while her eyes fell to the book on the nightstand. Picking it up slightly, she realized the book was a bit heavy and there was a dark warmth coming from it. As much as she wanted to glance through it from curiosity, Lucy is going to respect his wishes and buried the thought of the consequences if it was actually true. ' _His whole life is in here?_ ' she turned the book around only to see a strange faded symbol on the back.

Feeling bold, she placed the book down and pulled up Leo's key. "Open, Gate of the Lion, Leo!"

A bright light shined and Leo emerged from it. Lucy squealed with delight and jumped towards him, hugging him tightly. "Hello there, princess" he said sweetly.

Lucy looked up to him and beamed, "Look what i got back!" dangling her keys in the air.

Leo shook his head, "You really need to take better care of those" His eyes darted around the room and frowned. "That and i really need to get you out of here, Lucy." Lucy pulled Leo over towards the bed and sat down.

"Leo, can you tell me how Fairy Tail is doing?" she spoke quietly.

The Lion spirit's face fell as he sat on the bed beside her, "Not well I'm afraid" he said quietly after a few minutes.

Lucy frowned and swallowed heavily before speaking again, throat suddenly feeling tighter, "What happened to everyone?" Her eyes were staring to his face but, he wasn't looking at her. Instead his face was started to twist with anguish and bitterness.

"A lot of people are hurt. The guild and town are entirely destroyed. People are working together as we speak, repairing it. Everyone at the guild is worried sick about you. I told them you were safe for the time being but, It didn't seem to make them feel any better. I'm sorry Lucy"

Her bright mood was slowly starting to fade, "Is everyone alright though? Gray..Wendy..Erza.." tears started to sting at her eyes. Leo looked down to her, carefully wiping the tears away that were threatening to spill over.

"Gray hasn't been himself in awhile. He disappeared from the guild the following morning. Wendy said he went off to take care of something but, has no idea what. So she went to back to the guild to help the injured. Erza has been doing well, busying herself lately with the guild master. However..." his voice trailed.

Lucy placed a hand onto his arm, "Did something happen?" she spoke desperately, worried sick herself now.

"Mira and Laxus...They're in critical condition at the moment. They haven't woken up since that night" he said quietly. Too quietly.

The room fell silent and Lucy picked up footsteps coming towards the room. Lucy panicked and pulled Leo away towards the window, making him suddenly alert. The door swung open. Natsu growled at the spirit that was standing behind Lucy. Even though the male towered over her, Lucy held her arm out in front him anyway.

"Leo, Go now, please" Lucy pleaded, not taking her eyes off the angry demon.

"Lucy, seriously...the moment i turn my back" Natsu hissed under his breath. He took slow steps towards them, almost like predator circling its prey. Lucy's eyes watched his every muscle movement and Leo looked down to the girl, worried.

"What is it you want from her, you tempered fiend" Leo spoke bitterly.

Natsu snarled, starting to curl his lips back towards him, "That's none of your business, get away from this place now"

Lucy turned her head slightly up towards Leo, who apparently was starting to lose his self control as well, "Leo go, please. That's an order. I'll talk to you later, i promise."

Leo snapped his gaze to her, eyes widening with disapproval, "Very Well Lucy" without another word he faded into a bright light. She snapped her head to Natsu, arms crossed as well as feeling irritated. "That was entirely uncalled for Natsu. Have you not learned anything by now?"

Natsu glowered to her before averting his eyes, feeling annoyed as well. "I don't like him" he spoke bluntly.

Lucy scoffed, "I don't care if you don't like him. He's my spirit, as well as my parent and guardian who looked after me for years! Show a tiny bit of respect because if it wasn't for him, I'd probably be dead right now"

Natsu flickered his gaze to hers, an icy look lingered in his eyes before he closed them. Taking a deep breath, face pinched, he held out his hand, "I'm sorry..."

The blonde blinked a few times, "Do you mean it?" she asked feeling some tiny strand of hope.

Natsu opened his eyes, hand still held out to her. His gaze softened, "Yeah, now hurry up, i still got things to do"

Lucy sighed and carefully tucked her keys into her back pocket. Knowing it was safely secured she went to grab his hand only to be pulled into another tight hold. Natsu leaned his face into her hair, inhaling her fiery scent that started to fade back to normal. She was calming down and so was he. Lucy huffed, "You're not going to keep doing this are you?"

Natsu growled quietly, Lucy felt the rumbles from his chest when he spoke, "I don't know. I really don't like him. Don't you have any other spirits to keep you company?" He looked down at her, the blonde looked up to see his green eyes shining. The thin layer of red underneath it was slowly dissapearing. She watched as his other demonic features started fade from him as well. It seems the more he calms down, rationally, he becomes more...human. More or less. When he's angry or defensive, everything shows. However, she still remembers how terrifying he looked that night when he came for her. Lucy still found it hard to believe it was the one and the same Natsu. Her stomach growled again, breaking the awkward silence.

Lucy's face went red. Natsu laughed and lets go of her, "Come, we have things to talk about today", pulling her out of the room with him.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Lacrima Ost"**_

* * *

 **Meanwhile in Magnolia...**

Leo flashed into the guild master's room. Wendy, Makarov and Erza were talking before snapping their attention towards the spirit. Erza's eyes narrowed, "Any news, Loke?"

Makarov raised an eyebrow at him and nodded. Wendy sat down to listen. Leo looked at them and took a deep breath, "I don't know how long i can keep doing this. It's only a matter of time before he catches on, sir" Erza pulled out a chair and pointed to it. Without saying a word, Leo sat down and continued to speak. "Lucy is still safe, for the time being. However, it was different this time"

Erza folded her arms, body leaning against the wall, "What do you mean?"

Wendy spoke shakily, "What happened Leo?"

Leo took a deep breath, eyes darting to the Master, "I saw him this time. END came into the room shortly after i told her about the situation here. I couldn't say much more before she ordered me out. It seems she was more afraid of what he'll do to me rather than just being in his presence. I don't know how Lucy managed to get him to listen to her but, he didn't try attacking me despite his disapproval for having me there. END gave her the keys back but, something else bothered me"

Erza and Makarov looked at each other, taking in the information in before Makarov spoke, "What bothered you, Leo?"

Leo's face grew serious when he straightened his back, "I saw _the_ _book_ by Lucy. It seems the rumors i been researching are true"

Erza moved over to him, leaning towards his face, "You've been holding back on us?" she gritted her teeth, glaring at him.

Leo stood up and stared down at her, "I had to be sure, there was no guarantee that book could've existed. Besides, it also means we can gain the advantage over him" Leo moved away from Erza and stood in front of the guild master, "Normally the demons made by Zeref, _were_ books. However, that doesn't seem to be the case with END"

Makarov sighed, "Explain boy"

Leo nodded, "I been researching in the realms for awhile now. Going through history documents over the centuries until i found something about Zeref. I didn't want to tell anyone anything until i can prove it. Even now, there are still some theories to test, things i can even ask Lucy now when given the chance. If she has his book, it means something else as well"

Erza placed a hand on his shoulder, turning him slightly towards her, "What do mean what he is? Is he not a demon?"

Leo shook his head, "He is. This is different however, the only Etherious to actually exist as such"

Erza composed herself, "Spill it out already!"

Leo narrowed his gaze to Makarov, "It also means he was genuinely human too at one point. The experiments made towards the Dragneel's 400 years ago, was done by Zeref Dragneel himself. The brother of Natsu Dragneel. From what i read through the heavens history books , the family died during the attack from Dragons. Zeref made it out alive because he wasn't home during the time. The family was found dead and he snapped. Being a scholar of the magics at that time period was also his downfall. Everything done after that point was hazy in the books. I couldn't find much detail about it until people spoke of experiments being made by a black mage. Evil was spreading, destroying everything in its path until Zeref stopped with the last book. The last thing he created, being END. People found the destroyed lab years later but, according to the works. The black mage used his brother's dead body and reformed it. No one was able to find the book because the book was kept with the demon himself. For over 400 years, that book was kept hidden with him. Nothing was mentioned about the motives for such antics, however, if it's true about the book's existence, it also means that's his weak point. All the demons are bound by a book, their life. Anything that happens to the book, happens to them physically. Destroy the book, they die with it"

It stayed quiet for awhile, Makarov closed his eyes, Erza remained quiet thinking as well. Wendy left to continue helping with the injured people and Leo stood by the window. The guild master sighed, turning to look at the spirit, "How long were you searching these things, Leo?" Leo flickered his gaze towards the man and shook his head.

"I been searching since the moment Lucy started to smoke from her body. Something didn't sit right with me about it, so i started to dig up everything i can find that had to deal with black magic. I came across Zeref and his demons the more i searched through. I only kept going with the research when Lucy finally told me about her encounters. At first i was frustrated but, it wasn't the time to worry about myself. My life is devoted to protect her, to look after her for Layla's sake and yet" A sharp pain shot through his chest. Kneeling over, Erza and Makarov jumped to his side. Leo suddenly screamed in pain while starting to fade into a bright light.

"Leo!" Makarov yelled in a panic, "What's wrong boy? Speak!"

Erza's eyes darted around looking for anything out of the ordinary. However she saw nothing.

Leo screamed before collapsing. It was only moments before he faded into a bright light. Unable to tell them anything more on the situation.

Erza gritted her teeth, "What the hell just happened?"

Makarov stayed kneeled onto the ground. Eyes burned into the spot Leo disappeared from, "I have a feeling this is connected to what happened before, Erza" the old man balled his fists while Erza looked down to the spot as well.

"Something happened to Leo?"

Makarov got up and moved to his desk, pulling out papers, "When he recovered, he came back to inform me about Lucy. He had a previous encounter fighting with END himself. Although it did not end well" Taking a deep breath he spoke lower, voice straining to keep his anger from spilling over, "END punctured him fatally through his chest. However, Leo told me he's been struggling with something dark lingering inside of him. He doesn't know the cause and even after speaking with his fellow spirits, no one was able to help him" His gaze shot to Erza, "We believe END might've cursed him with something. We just don't know what"

Erza balled her fists, "So we have to depend on him to find answers like a messenger boy? That isn't right.."

Makarov nodded, "He's getting better...slightly. However from that last attack, it still seems to get him down despite being a creature of pure light. There are just some things that can't hold back darkness. I'm positive he'll be alright if given enough time. Lucy is our only hope right now to get to the bottom of this. With the book in her possession, we might finally be able to get some answers."

Erza shook her head, "END is keeping close tabs on her. Why would he just suddenly bring her the book though? Something isn't adding up"

The old man held his chin, thinking, "That is something odd indeed. Going by Leo's information, That book is beyond valuable. It's his life essence, the reason for existence. I'm surprised the black mage let him walk off with it" Jumping off the desk with papers in his hand, "At least we know the book exists. That is certain, I need to head to the council immediately to find out what kept the reinforcements back. Erza, keep an eye on everything, Please." His voice fell, speaking before he left the room, "Let me know when either of them wake up" Erza nodded and left the room with him.

* * *

 **Now for the preview!**

* * *

 _*~...The metal covering's opened slowly, revealing strange creatures in each one. Her eyes widening, realizing these must be the demons Natsu mentioned before. "What is this room?' she breathed quietly. The two female demons snickered, probably because they heard Lucy. "This is the restoration chambers of Tartaros" Seilah spoke gently...~*_

 **See you Next Chapter! :3  
**


	15. Chapter 14: The Demons of Tartaros

**AN: Firstly, (;^;)/ thank you so very much for the continued support! Nothing makes me happier than to see you guys loving this story too.  
**

 **Secondly, the music tracks i put up is _only_ _optional_ , so i hope you guys enjoy that too.**

 **Lastly, chapters are finally a bit longer again and will be for awhile X3!**

 **Anyway, onto the next chapter! Enjoy and feel free to leave a review when you're done! (^.^)/**

 **~Preview is at the end!~**

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Zeref's Melancholy Ost(extended)"**_

* * *

Lucy sat at the dining table while waiting for Natsu to return from the kitchen. The weather outside never seemed to change. The celestial mage wondered if the cube was made to purposely have that kind of environment. She sighed, leaning onto the table, missing the bright sun and blue skies already. Natsu didn't make a sound when he approached her, leaning his face in close to hers.

"You alright?" he eyed her carefully while setting the plates down.

Lucy looked at him and shook her head, "It's nothing. What'd you make this time?" Turning her head towards the food. It was filled to the top with eggs and different kinds of meats. She huffed, "Very funny, even i know i can't eat this much"

Natsu laughed and sat down beside her, "Who said it's all for you?" He took his fork and poked into her plate before his own. Lucy stuck her tongue out at him before eating out of his plate. She drops her fork and grabs a drink immediately after.

"WHAT IS IN THAT?!" slowly coming out of her coughing fit, her eyes watered from the intensely spicy mouthful of food she took.

The pink-haired demon grinned, "Can't handle the heat this time huh?" winking at her. She moved her plate away from him without saying anything.

Natsu glanced down at her, watching her eat in silence, "There's something i want to show you when we're done here"

Lucy looked up to him from the corner of her eye, "What is it?"

He didn't say anything when suddenly his head snaps to the doorway of the dining room. A small growl rumbled from his chest. He got up slowly and stood in front of Lucy.

Her heart starts racing, unable to understand his sudden change in attitude. Turning her head towards the direction he was looking at, she saw two people walk in. More like, another couple of demons. Her eyes glance towards Natsu, already seeing his demonic features resurfacing.

"Oh, it seems you let the key out of her box" says the black hair demon in a short kimono. The taller female walked in further, eyeing Lucy carefully.

"So this is the little key our master went through so much trouble getting. How cute she is.." smiling darkly. A growl echoed louder from Natsu while he was glaring at them.

Lucy couldn't even think about eating anymore. She hid herself closely behind Natsu, feeling nervous about the sudden guests. ' _These must be the other Zeref demons_ ' Lucy thought carefully. The female demons attempted to take another step towards the two at the table.

Natsu snarled at them, "That's about as far as you go. Did you complete the task yet or not?" he said quickly. He didn't turn to look at Lucy at all from this point - Keeping up his guard to make sure nothing slips past him.

Kyoka snickered, "Of course, it was rather boring to be honest. I expected much more from the council" Seilah softened her gaze towards Lucy. The celestial mage couldn't understand why the demons are staring at her.

"This girl is a lot stronger than we realized, Kyoka. Taming our master so easily. I didn't expect this at all. What do you think?" turning her head towards the other demon.

"My, My it seems so. How'd that ever happen i wonder" slowly raising her hand to her chin, eyes darting between them, "We need to talk to you later, Master END" Her eyes staring towards the blonde, "When you're done playing with your toy of course" Natsu hissed at them. The two female demons left quickly without another word.

Lucy bit her lip, head turning the other way as a tear fell. ' _Why is he letting them say these things, Why isn't he denying any of it? Just what am i to him?_ ' Her lips started to tremble, ' _How stupid am i to suddenly just forget where i am..._ " her eyes closed shut when Lucy suddenly felt a hand touch her shoulder.

"Lucy..." Natsu spoke quietly, knowing the girl heard just a bit too much. Lucy moved his hand back while shaking her head at him.

"Don't...Just take me back to the room, so you can...go take care of what ever it is you have to do." Lucy got up and started to walk towards the doorway when Natsu swung her around.

He stared at her. Lucy noticed his green eyes were half covered by the red. Natsu seemed to be bothered by something as well. Lucy didn't have the guts to ask though. She quickly averted her eyes, feeling the tears starting to sting them again, "What.." she said bitterly. Lucy knew reacting like this was quite childish but, he never gave her a straight answer.

' _You're mine, Luce'_ his voice echoed in her head and Lucy shook her head furiously. ' _Unbelievable, Is that really how it is?'_ she started to grow angrier with herself.

Natsu sighed heavily, tilting her chin towards him, "Don't let those two bother you. Ignore everything they've said, their words mean nothing, alright?" He watched her face suddenly change. Lucy laughed darkly - surprising Natsu. Taking a step back from her, he blinked a few times with confusion, "Luce...?"

Lucy wiped the threatening tears from her eyes. Her gaze turned cold as she looked up at him, "Nothing, I'm here just to pass the time aren't I? Personal entertainment, Is that what this is all about?..." pointing to herself and him quickly, "if you think you can keep messing with me and not telling me exactly what the hell is going on...then think again" she spit the words angrily. Natsu dropped his hand from her, feeling more frustrated by the second. He's going to tear those demons apart later - for messing up the little bit he had going with Lucy.

"Lucy, that's not what-" Natsu tried to quickly explain to her but, she cut him off.

"What Natsu?! Tell me, What am i to you?" she said angrily. Her scent started to elevate in the area and Natsu stiffened when he took notice. Lucy stood in front of him, taking a fistful of his shirt and tugging him down to her eye level, "I want to know, Natsu. What am i to you that you had to drag me all the way from society, down to this depressing place full of twisted _demons_ " Saying the last few words with as much anger as she can pull, emphasizing demons because it was towards him as well. Lucy shoved him back before stomping off when he didn't say anything. Natsu closed his eyes shut, gritting his teeth while her words were echoing loudly in his head. When her footsteps faded, Natsu mumbled under his breath, "I don't know what i think anymore"

Lucy retraced her steps back towards the room. Even though she wanted to look around before, she was too infuriated to care at the moment. Slamming the door shut with all her might, she slid down the door and buried her head into her arms ' _Toy? Key?_ ' Lucy felt her throat tighten, feeling herself wanting to cry but is forcing herself not to, ' _He didn't stop them, he wouldn't even answer my question. It wasn't even that difficult..._ ' She glared towards the bed before getting up and stomping over to the nightstand.

Without thinking she picked up his book and threw it across the room, "Why didn't you answer me?!" she yelled while warm tears started to slide down her face, "I trusted you, Idiot!" while the book was thrown across the room, the pages flipped rapidly before closing. Lucy looked at her hands, noticing small embers of bright golden flames flickering off from her.

"Do i mean that little to you, after everything?" she said quietly. Silent tears continued to stream down her face when she walked over towards the book. Picking it up carefully, she wiped it down with her fingers before holding it close to her chest and spoke barely above a whisper, "...I'm sorry"

A sudden bright light flashed beside her, grabbing the blondes attention. Quickly wiping the tears from her eyes, she saw Leo looking down to her, worried. "Princess, I felt a slight disturbance all the way in my realm. Is everything alright?" He moved to her quickly before taking notice of the book tightly in her arms, "Lucy...?"

She cleared her throat, feeling like a lump was stuck there, "It's nothing, I'm sorry for worrying you"

Leo's eyes fell with annoyance and disapproval, "Lucy, i thought we went over this. Tell me, What happened?" He pulled the girl over to him as she placed the book down gently.

The spirit held onto her tightly when she whispered to him, "I let my stupid thoughts get the better of me. I yelled at Natsu when i shouldn't have..."

Leo stifled a laugh and Lucy glared at him, "I'm sorry, what happened?" grinning down to her as he pulled her away - to get a better look of her face.

Lucy huffed, "I'm serious. What's funny about any of this?!"

Leo averts his gaze, "I thought he did something to hurt you, so i thought...i didn't expect..." suddenly holding a hand up to cover his smile and to recompose himself.

The girl glowered at the lion and then picked up the heavy book again. Leo watched her carefully, "I didn't mean to snap at him even though he does nothing but annoy me. Maybe i should've let him explain first before acting like that. He's probably mad at me now..."

Leo sat in the chair beside him, gesturing her to sit as well. "I'm going to safely assume we have time to talk about this then..." clearing his throat.

Lucy sat down next to him, looking down towards the book, "Yeah, i think so. The other demons came over to us while eating, saying they needed to talk to him..." The things they said about her started to replay in her mind.

"Then what has upset you so much Lucy?" Leo said quietly, his eyes were filling with pain and worry for the girl. Unable to offer anything except his support.

Lucy held the book tighter in her arms, biting her lip before she spoke, "Natsu didn't seem all that surprised when they showed up, even though he told me the other day that they were coming back in less than a week"

Leo's face pinched, "One thing at a time Lucy, tell me about you first. Then we can talk about the rest after"

She sighed quietly and then continued, "The demons said some things and they pulled me into their conversation even though I tried to hide behind Natsu but.."She squeezed her eyes closed, feeling her chest tighten again, "They said some cruel things about me, even though they weren't talking to me directly. The things they've said, knowing i was listening...were implying what i am to him. I just felt so offended because a part of me knew they were probably speaking the truth especially since he didn't try interrupting or denying any of it" she started to sob quietly between her hands, "...and these past few days i feel like I've only just been deluding myself into thinking i meant more to him" Lucy hiccuped a few times between sobs and looked at Leo, "He's so different Leo. When it's just us, he's so different" tears fell onto the book and Leo brushed the tears from her cheeks, unable to say anything. His face twisted with confusion, wondering what exactly is going on between them.

"Princess..." he said gently while placing a hand behind her back, she glanced at him through her teary eyes. Leo's heart tightened from the sight, "Princess, do you..." finding it extremely hard to say, he forced himself anyway, "...do you love him?" Lucy's heart spiked at the words, suddenly feeling her face burn from the thought.

"I don't know...i don't..." shaking her head. Leo only tried to touch her cheek to wipe away the remaining tears, when he saw something peaking from the side of her neck.

Lucy froze when she felt Leo tugging the top of her shirt, "Leo don't..." unable to react fast enough, she heard him hiss under his breath.

Leo stood up quickly and turned to Lucy. He was starting to feel agitated and his temper started to flare but only manged to look at her warily, "Tell me, he didn't do anything more than that, Lucy" his voice came out so quickly, she barely understood what he said.

Lucy looked away while blushing and shook her head, "No. He didn't do anything else.." She readjusted her shirt and kept her eyes down. She honestly wished she knew what that demon was thinking. Was she only just a toy to him, something to pass the time? Or is he not being honest with himself, too afraid to admit his feelings, ' _Can demons feel anything?_ ' her thoughts wandered when she heard Leo sigh loudly.

Leo covered half of his face with his hand, holding it there when he suddenly spoke, "What is he to you, Lucy?"

Those words rang in her head, the same words she used towards Natsu and guilt started to wash over her. Maybe this was how he felt, maybe he wasn't sure either. Lucy slowly raised a hand over her mouth, eyes widening when realizing her mistake, "What i think of him?" she said quietly. After all, they lived in two separate worlds. Maybe his idea of relationships with people were different, maybe it was too soon? It wasn't just guilt anymore, she was feeling confused and curious. Does she love him? She knows she likes him but is that enough? She closed her eyes, picturing the subtle smiles Natsu made towards her.

The spirit kneeled down in front of her, placing a hand onto her knee, "Lucy, what matters right now more than anything, Is how you feel about things" Taking a deep breath before continuing, "Lucy, When you close your eyes and search your heart, what is it that you see? How do you feel when you think about it?"

Her heart started to flutter and a warm feeling washed through her. Natsu was strong, determined and fearsome when things got in his way. Stopped at nothing until he got what he wanted. Lucy felt herself smiling the more she thought about it, that first moment when she saw Natsu smile and the small laughs they shared. Even though she tried to ignore those gestures, forcing the truth on herself about him - the horrible demon that hurt and destroyed her precious guild. Despite all of that, she couldn't stop thinking about him. Couldn't help but expect more from Natsu.

Lucy opened her eyes and looked down towards the book, "I don't know...how i feel at the moment"

Leo managed to calm himself down and smiled up to her gently, "...Even if you don't know now, You'll figure it out soon enough. There is no reason to force an answer now or it won't be the same when you finally realize it" he chuckled to himself, "As much as i disapprove of him - no, I _hate_ the guy but, I won't force that on you, Lucy. It's your choice to accept the truth, the person who claims your heart, just promise me you'll be careful with yourself. Love isn't always fair, you'll endure pain and sorrow before it'll get better, trust me"

Lucy felt herself smiling at him and hugged him tightly around the neck, "Thanks Leo" He hugged her back gently.

"Feel better now?" he said quietly, watching the girl wipe her face.

"Yeah, i do actually" Her eyes darted down to the book and bit her lip, "Although, i can say i'm feeling a bit regretful at the moment"

"Why's that princess?" he saw her fingers fumbling over the book nervously, "What'd you do?" rephrasing himself.

Lucy let out a quiet, nervous chuckle when her eyes stared down at the book, "I might've tossed the book when i was feeling...not myself" She said quickly, wincing from the thought of Natsu knowing about it. He claims if anything happens to the book, he'll know.

Leo laughed loudly, holding his stomach, "You threw the book? Princess, books can't get hurt" Lucy shot up from her chair, staring down at him.

"This book is different though!" she held the book in front of herself, checking for any damage done to it.

"Different? Do books suddenly have feelings now, princess?" Feigning his smile as he spoke with amusement. However, his thoughts were elsewhere entirely now. Leo knew what that book was, he just wanted to confirm his suspicions about it without her knowing. Especially since their whole conversation right now was probably already overhead. He wouldn't want to risk anything - at least not yet.

Her brows knit tightly before looking up at him seriously, "It's his book, Leo. If anything happens to it, it'll be my fault. Natsu trusts me enough to give it to me. Saying i was it's new owner but, I don't know what he meant by that though"

Leo felt his heart drop, eyes widening at her words, "New owner...?"

Lucy nodded, looking away. A smile small slipped onto her face again but Leo thinks she doesn't even realize it, she looked rather distant. Her voice grew quiet when she spoke, "I guess without realizing it, He gave his life to me..."

Leo placed a hand on her, making her flinch from the touch. Her eyes darted up to him, "Leo.." Lucy's head snapped to the doorway when hearing footsteps outside the room. Her heart dropped, "Leo he's coming!" she said quickly under her breath.

Leo only shook his head, "Don't worry about it. Sooner or later, he'll just have to deal with it. I'm not exactly pleased with him keeping you here" he spoke bitterly. Folding his arms tightly across, eyes narrowing to the door as well. It was only moments later when the large door swung open. The pink-haired demon stepped in quickly only to stop in his tracks. Leo and Natsu's eyes locked, glaring down one another.

Lucy held the book to her chest tightly and stood in front of Leo - watching them. The only difference now, is Natsu wasn't baring his teeth like before. Instead, he looked annoyed and hesitant. The celestial mage decided to gamble between the two and spoke carefully as the tension thickened in the air, "I'm sorry about earlier, Natsu. I didn't mean to snap at you like that" She held her gaze to him.

Natsu's dark eyes flickered to hers for a moment before it aimed back towards Leo, "It's...fine" he said slowly, almost as if he was watching his tone.

Lucy walked over to Natsu and Leo snickered as he sat down, legs crossed when he spoke, "Glad we can have this talk, Natsu" putting as much sarcasm into the words.

Natsu growled only to have his attention diverted to the blonde who was now right in front of him. Lucy narrowed her eyes, watching the demon features slowly dissapearing - all except for the scales on his face, "So..." she spoke quietly.

Natsu frowned deeply, brows knitting tightly. His voice was low when he spoke, "Mind if i get an exceptionally good reason as to why i have a sudden headache?"

Lucy blinked a few times before the words finally sunk in her head. She heard Leo snorting into a fit of laughter but ignored it, "I...might've...done it. B-by accident, i was upset and..."

Natsu snarled at the offending lion. Leo was barely able to speak between laughs, "Just tell him you threw the book across the room"

Lucy flinched when she saw small fire embers escaping Natsu but, held her arms out towards him anyway, "I-Im sorry, i wont do it again"

Natsu didn't budge, "You're going to kill me eventually aren't you?" his words came out like a hiss, making Lucy wince backwards. The demon tried to move around her, towards the hysterically laughing lion.

Lucy stood her ground and and took a deep breath. There was one thing she wanted to test and there was no better time than now. Yanking Natsu's head down to hers, she kissed his lips quickly. Leo suddenly stopped laughing and Natsu's eyes widened. Lucy felt herself fluster, "Calm down already.." she mumbled. She kept her eyes focused on his reactions and it seemed to have worked, for now. Natsu blinked a few more times before he too suddenly had his face tinting with pink.

Leo cleared his throat, "I guess I'll take my leave now then" His eyes narrowed to the celestial mage, "Be careful, Lucy" then glared at Natsu.

"I'll be fine Leo. I'll see you later, thank you for listening" She said quickly as Leo faded into a bright light.

Natsu wasn't even paying attention to the spirit anymore. Still trying to understand why she would suddenly kiss him. He watched her as she fumbled with the book in her hands, fingers curling around the edges. He finally spoke, quieter than intended, "You didn't have to do that"

Lucy snapped her eyes to him and smiled, "...but, I wanted to" her brown eyes were twinkling.

Her sudden bright smile made his heart jump, realizing he finally saw her true smile. Without thinking, Natsu pulled her to him, pressing his lips firmly onto hers. Lucy squeaked from the sudden impulse. Natsu wrapped his arm around her waist and moved his free hand behind her head, holding it there gently. Lucy closed her eyes when she suddenly heard a deep growl coming from him. It was different however, it sounded feral, possessive. Natsu started to move her, guiding her towards the bed. His tongue lightly traced her bottom lip, begging to go further.

Lucy obeyed and parted her lips, allowing him access. It didn't take him long to have his tongue tracing every inch of her mouth until their tongue's interlocked with each other. Lucy felt her body getting hotter to an almost burning feeling. Her breaths were cutting short when her back finally touches the bed-post. She drops the book onto the bed when Natsu pressed himself against her, placing his knee between her legs.

Lucy couldn't hear anything anymore except her rapid heartbeat and heavy breathing. She pulled away after awhile, gasping for air. Her eyes darted to his smoldering gaze. Natsu's dark green eyes were half covered by the red hue and even though no one else was around, the scales on his face were still there. That look of his sent chills down her spine. She slowly raised one hand to his cheek and cupped it gently, brushing her fingers across softly. Lucy heard him shudder and watched him close his eyes.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Kanashiki Kako Ost"**_

* * *

Natsu tried to hold himself back, he really did. Her intoxicating fiery sweet smell consumed him, making his previous thoughts disappear for the time being. Feeling his primal instincts take over, Natsu wanted nothing more than to take her right then and there. He opened his eyes again to see her brown orbs shimmering at him, filling with lust just as strongly as his was. However, he knew he couldn't go any further, another feral growl escapes him. While battling with his urges, his grip on the bed post tightened and his other hand pressed her firmly against him. He knew if he did anything more than this, it'll be over for both of them. Natsu leaned his head onto hers, stealing another kiss before whispering gently, "I'm sorry about before.."

Lucy sighed heavily while moving an arm around his neck, gently brushing her fingertips against him. She felt his hot breath tickling her, making her heart beat even faster. In honesty, Lucy didn't want to stop. She was curious about Natsu, how he felt about her. ' _What's stopping him every time?_ ' She thought as she closed her eyes. Lucy shook her head slowly, brushing her nose against his cheek, "It's fine. It'll be okay."

His head leaned into the crook of her neck and she felt his lips lingering there. Natsu spoke quietly again, "I want you so much, Luce" She heard another low growl escape from his chest.

"What's stopping you?" she was very curious now, will he speak or will he change topics. Lucy strained her ears, listening to every little sound made in the room. Making sure she doesn't miss a word.

"I can't...Not...Yet" he breathed.

He nipped at her neck, making Lucy squeeze her eyes closed. Her hand gripped tightly onto his hair and her back arched towards him, unable to focus on anything else at the moment. However, a strange smell filled her nose, something she hadn't noticed before. A very strong fiery and smokey smell. She buried her nose into his neck when she realized where it was coming from. There was also a strange spice to it, something she couldn't place just yet. The scent was almost like a fireplace during winter, When you step outside and you can smell that burning cold air. She breathed it in deeper, feeling herself get lost in it. ' _cloves_ ' she thought. Lucy opened her eyes partially, ' _that spicy smell...is almost like cloves_ ' she smiled realizing what she just discovered. Lucy pulled herself back and heard a sudden whine from him. She placed a hand onto his cheek, noticing the green in his eyes taking over again. The scales on his face retreated elsewhere.

Lucy brushed his dark, pink locks away and smiled at him, "Maybe next time?" She kissed his cheek and a quiet sigh escaped him. He moved his hand onto hers, brushing the backside with his thumb gently.

"Next time" he said quietly under his breath.

...

Time seemed to tick slowly while they were leaning into each other's arms. Natsu moved slightly, only to get a better look at her face. His eyes stared into hers when he decided to finally speak, "I really am sorry, Luce" breaking the tension. Lucy leaned into him, placing her hands onto his chest. Feeling that burning sensation course through her gently.

She hummed quietly, "I shouldn't have let it bother me so, you weren't in the wrong"

Natsu chuckled and moved her away, "No. I shouldn't have dropped my guard. I didn't want them around you. They tend say things to get reactions out of people. Clearly, they got what they wanted" he said with slight annoyance. "I still never got to finish what i had to do earlier, i came here to get you before.." His lips pressed together firmly as his jaw clenched before noticing Lucy was looking at him.

"What'd you want to show me before?" she moved away to sit on the bed, legs folded. Her hand moved over towards the book, gently brushing it with her thumb without realizing it. His eyes watched her as another strange feeling washed through him.

Natsu shook his head slightly, "It's more like introducing some things instead of showing. I didn't want to at first but, i feel like if i don't, I'll come to regret it later"

"Introduce me to what?" she was curious again. However, something in the pit of her stomach turned slightly.

His expression pinched when he sighed, "The other demons of Tartaros. This way if anything happens, you'll be able to tell me. There are still somethings i have to take care of and I won't always be around to watch. That's why you must always have that book on you. They'll have no choice but to obey you as well" A snarl suddenly ripped from him, "If they so much as lay a finger on you..." His scales started to appear over his face and Lucy jumped towards him, brushing his cheek. His eyes darted to her, "Lucy, whatever you do, if I'm not here, you are to not leave this room."

Lucy nodded, "Let's go see them quickly then"

She honestly didn't want to. The demons that tore apart her guild made her terrified although, it should've been the opposite. Natsu was their guild master, the fearsome destroyer that sent them after her guild and yet she's all comfortable around him. It's probably because of that very same excuse she keeps using, convincing herself otherwise. Natsu will never do anything to hurt her directly. Lucy felt slightly ashamed of herself, ashamed of the fact she allowed herself to be so close with him while he runs off hurting everyone else. Lucy buried the thoughts, afraid that if she kept going on with it, she'll get lost in it. Something that came so close to happening a few times already.

Natsu placed a hand onto her shoulder, "How easily can you access that fire, Luce?" He moved his other hand, snapping his fingers to suddenly have a dark flame flicker between them.

Lucy stared at the strange flame when she shook her head, "I don't know. It's usually an accident" her eyes narrowed to her fingers, "Mostly when I'm upset.." she spoke quietly. She moved away from him, holding a hand up to her face, "I don't feel anything now" Lucy looked up at him. Natsu was watching her carefully, almost as if he was studying something.

"That flame.." he speaks carefully, "Is something different" Natsu moved to stand behind Lucy, moving his arms onto hers, letting their fingers intertwine. He tilted his head down towards her ear, "Try it again" he murmured. Lucy's heart skipped but, forced herself to focus. She closed her eyes, feeling out for the burning pulse inside of her. Minutes flew by and she couldn't seem to do it.

She spoke with slight annoyance, "I can't feel it..."

Natsu nipped at her ear, "Try harder" his sudden low voice made her shudder. Frowning, Lucy tried it again.

It was then she felt something warm on her fingers. Lucy opened her eyes to see Natsu's flames flickering at her. She gripped his hand tighter, feeling out for his magic. The scaly mark on her left arm suddenly pulses and the burning feeling washes through her. Keeping her focus on it, her body temperature started to rise while her heart was beating heavier with it. It only took moments when it finally reached her fingers. Lucy watched as the bright golden flames flickered towards the dark fire. For a moment, she was mesmerized by the two flames that were flickering against each other, as if it was dancing in their hands.

"I need you to learn how to defend yourself, in case i can't reach you in time" he spoke carefully, "However, these flames of yours" moving their hands up, "Are still too cold" he chuckled.

Lucy felt his body shake from the laugh and she sighed, "...Feels hot to me"

Natsu turned her around, the flames snuffed out with the movement. "Hardly. It's only because you're not use to it" His eyes darted to the door, "Come, we've stalled long enough"

They walked down long, dark corridors. Lucy stuck close to his side, leaving almost no gap. She took notice of his demonic features returning to its usual places. Seems Natsu can't relax in his own place or it symbolized authority. She wanted to know more about him, started to wonder if she was the only one to ever see that other side of him. Other than the man that created him but, now wasn't the time for it. Lucy's eyes focused ahead as they started to walk down a spiral staircase.

At the end of it, they came across a large metal door. Natsu opened it and the door squeaked loudly. The room was dimly lit by small lacrima orbs. Her eyes darted everywhere at the strange equipment. There was at least a dozen of large, strange liquid-filled tanks lined up. Natsu walked ahead of her towards a machinery panel, filled with buttons and knobs. The corner of her eye, she saw the two demons from earlier. One winked at her while the other just smiled. Lucy felt a cold chill go down her spine and averted her attention back to Natsu. Too afraid to speak, she just walked over to him.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Evil Minds Ost"**_

* * *

He spoke quietly to her, "Ignore those two" Lucy nodded as she watched his fingers glide over the paneling. Weird noises were made and the tanks were opening its casing. The metal covering's opened slowly, revealing strange creatures in each one. Her eyes widening, realizing these must be the demons Natsu mentioned before. "What is this room?' she breathed quietly. The two female demons snickered, probably because they heard Lucy.

"This is the restoration chambers of Tartaros" Seilah spoke gently.

Kyoka looked at Lucy when she smiled darkly, "When a demon dies, they return here" She then shot glares at the enclosed demons, "Pathetic excuses they were for dying so easily to mere humans..."

Natsu didn't say anything, instead he took Lucy's hands, holding her close to him behind the machinery, away from their prying eyes.

Seilah moved over towards the middle tank, "I'm quite shocked about Hades though" she said quietly. "I'm sure he's going to be quite cross when he gets out tomorrow"

Lucy nearly choked when she spoke, "They're coming out of there tomorrow?" she looked up to Natsu when he nodded.

"They spent too long in there as it is" he said with slight anger lingering in his words.

Lucy's eyes darted to each tank, ' _These are the ones that hurt Fairy Tail and he's letting them out...tomorrow. I have to tell Leo without Natsu knowing. I have to...this is..._ " she felt a tug at her hand, getting her attention. Seilah and Kyoka were now standing in front of them. Natsu kept his eyes on them.

"Any news yet from them?" he spoke quickly. Lucy strained her ears to hear it, thanking the enhanced capability. If she didn't have it, she probably wouldn't have understood it.

"The magic council is indeed destroyed" the kimono demon said quietly. Her voice was so low when her hand covered her mouth. Kyoka was eyeing Lucy and the blonde shrunk back a bit.

"There is a slight problem though" Kyoka said quickly, turning her attention back to Natsu.

"On with it" he hissed.

"It seems they knew we were coming after we destroyed their reinforcements. They sent a calling out for the Wizard Saints to be gathering. We just don't know where" the female finished quickly, lowering her head.

Lucy flinched again when she heard Natsu snarling, his hand slipped from hers when he placed it onto the machinery. His claws were out, "Well find out then. I can't have them finding us anytime soon."

"Understood. Are they going to be assisting us?" referring to the demons in the recovery tanks.

Natsu's eyes darted to Lucy quickly before he looked back towards them, "Yeah all of them except Hades" he breathed angrily, "Find out who are the other six Wizards. I already know who the other four are. If they assemble, we might have a problem" Natsu's grip tightened onto the side of the metal panel. It looked like it was starting to crack when he suddenly let go. He grabbed a hold on Lucy's hand again, pulling her out of the room with him. Lucy turned her head when the she saw the demons staring at her. Closing her eyes she turned away from them. Lucy has no idea if Natsu knew of her adept hearing. However, she was going to make sure she stays quiet about it. She's almost positive she wasn't suppose to hear any of that. When they reached the room, he opened the door and didn't follow her in.

"I'll be back later, Get some rest" He said quickly and then left. Lucy closed the door and walked over towards the bed to lay down.

Her arm brushed the edge of his book and stared at it. "What have i gotten myself into?" she groaned quietly. Flipping herself over onto her stomach. Leaning her head onto her arms, her thumb brushed at the pages. ' _If only i can open this, then maybe i can find out what's going on in his head_ ' Her eyes narrowed and then let out a loud sigh. Lucy suddenly had an idea pop into her head. Sitting up, she pulled up Virgo's key, "Open! Gate of the Maiden, Virgo!" a bright light flashed. Lucy quickly grabbed a piece of paper that was in the night stands drawer and scribbled everything she heard onto it.

"Good evening, princess" Virgo said while bowing to her, "Am i going to be punished?" She said curiously, tilting her head towards the blonde.

Lucy shook her head, "No, Virgo! Listen, i need you to do something very important. Give this to Leo and have him deliver it to Master Makarov. Quickly, go, now!" Virgo nodded and faded into a bright light. Lucy sighed and fell onto her back, "Hopefully that'll help" Even though deep down she knew it'll mess with Natsu's plans, she had to stop him somehow. This thing reminded her painfully, that despite her feelings for him and whatever he felt for her was a separate issue from their goals. Lucy was going to do whatever it takes to stop them by her own means. ' _He's a demon made by Zeref and nothing is going to change that_ ' she thought sadly. She picked up his book and held it over her, staring at the etched letters. "END" she breathed. ' _He hates that name, every time it was spoken his temper flared. I wonder why_ ' she thought. Lucy placed the book onto the stand and curled herself under the blankets to sleep, afraid for the following day that the demons awaken. Again.

* * *

 **Now for the preview!**

* * *

 _*~...Lucy snapped her gaze towards the maid, "The flames...the magic spoke to me while i was out. It said, i was the guardian of the gates. To protect something. That i was also the key to it's destruction." Saying the last few words hit her strongly. Realizing the weight it held. She turned her head towards the king in front of her. His expression was filled with sorrow, "I think, i know what i have to do" ...~*_

 **See you next chapter!  
**


	16. Chapter 15: Shattered Minds

**AN: I can't believe it's reached to this already.**

 **Poor Lucy and Natsu, it's come this far and now the fluffiness is put on hold.  
**

 **(Don't hate me please) \\(;^;)/**

 **...**

 **All aboard the Feels Train...**

 **Everything finally gets down to the point and the story picks up A LOT from here.**

 **Bare with it for awhile, a lot of things happen for a reason...**

 **...**

 **And thank you again for the continued support, i really can't appreciate it enough so, i'll keep saying it**

 **...Thank you \\(;^;)**

 **...**

 **As always, enjoy the new chapter!  
...**

 _ **~Preview at the end~**_

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Kurushii Tatakai Ost"**_

* * *

Lucy was sitting in bed, thinking about everything these past few days. Her fingers held the keys tightly close to her chest, waiting to hear from Natsu and Leo. She knew what she was doing was entirely risky, the fact she can get caught so easily made her waver a few times. Natsu left that morning to take care of some errands after handing her some food. Although, errands was a light way of wording it. The moment she knew he was out of hearings reach, she would call upon Virgo to deliver the messages. It still bothered her to an extent, What'd he want with the wizard saints? What happened to the Magic Council? Lucy felt her chest tightening - fearing for the worst.

She still hasn't touched the food he left her on the small golden tray. Her eyes stared at it a few times, feeling herself wanting to cry but, she forced herself not to. Lucy had to be strong now, stronger than ever. Her heart ached every time she thought about going against Natsu but, what he was doing is wrong. Hurting innocent people for what? What is he hiding or running from?

Lucy grimaced when she pulled up Leo's key. Twirling it in her fingers, thinking more calmly. Lucy knew she had to start practicing with her new borrowed power. Maybe, just maybe she had a small chance of fighting back. Sliding out of the bed, she moved the tray away from her. The food was already cold and dried out now. She didn't let her stomach bother her no matter how much it protested. As painful as it was, she also shoved away the feelings she had for the demon. Lucy was not going to give in to her own selfishness, she had people to save now.

"Open, Gate of the Lion, Leo!" a bright light flashed and the dressed spirit emerged. He bowed to Lucy with a bright smile lingering on his face.

"Good afternoon, princess" His eyes darted to the untouched food, "Is something wrong?" Lucy folded her arms, eyes darting towards the door and then back at him.

"I can't do this thing with him anymore Leo. I can't, it has to stop" she sighed heavily and felt her heart squeeze tightly, "Did you get the messages from Virgo?" Lucy's voice dropped, speaking more quietly.

Leo nodded and held her hand tightly between both of his, "I'm sorry things haven't worked out between you two. I mean it, It's hard to sacrifice one thing for another. However, as for the note, I had to tell him through a lacrima because he was still gone from the guild"

Lucy bit her lip and her hands started to tremble, "Leo, I need you to train me again. I need to be able to control this power i have and I don't know who else to ask" Her voice grew serious, feeling slightly more determined.

Leo nodded for her to continue, "It's with the fire magic isn't it?"

"Yes. I know you told me not to mess with it but, back before he took me away, i noticed something strange. I think i might've found another weakness" Lucy said quickly before her eyes darted to the large book on the bed. She went over to it and picked it up. Her fingers traced over the letters again as her eyes continued to stay down when speaking again, "Leo, If i can avoid any causalities, I'll do whatever it takes"

Leo moved behind her and frowned, "Lucy, It doesn't matter whether or not you want to avoid fighting, You saw what he can do. What he _will_ do if anything gets in his way. We cannot have a repeat of that again. The guild is barely standing as it is."

Lucy turned to him, eyes unwavering. Leo swallowed thickly, understanding she won't back down - almost like her mother, "I'll do whatever it takes, Leo. I'll be damned if he hurts another person because of me. I'm not going to sit back and watch while he does whatever he pleases" She places the book down when sudden golden flames flickered off her hand, "These flames, i think he's afraid of them." she said while eyeing the golden embers.

Leo's eyes widened with curiosity, "What do you mean, Princess?"

Lucy sighed and the flames glowed brighter, "When i tried to stop him from attacking Wendy, He skidded to a complete stop when my flames surrounded us on accident. He stared, looking confused and annoyed at something. I knew it wasn't at me, it was towards the flames between us that night. When he realized i think, that it was too weak to hold him back, he moved closer, saying it wasn't as strong as it was suppose to be. He knows something Leo, I know he does" Her eyes narrowed, holding a fist tightly to herself as she spoke confidently.

Leo nodded and smiled, "Then let's get down to business princess. When shall we start your training?"

The celestial mage flicked her wrist and the flames went out, "When he leaves to Alvarez **.** I over heard him talking to someone earlier. Speaking of which, the other demons in the castle are suppose to be awake, if not already. They're suppose to be sent out to gather information on the other Saints" Lucy sighed, feeling slightly fatigued. She started to hold a hand to her head, "So much to do, so little time. I'm going to need Fairy Tail on guard, just for a little while. At least until we figure things out."

Leo spoke quietly, "You do realize Master is a wizard saint as well. This could pose a problem and it's also probably another reason why he left the guild the other day in such a hurry..."

Lucy felt her heart drop, "He is?! Is he one of the four?"

The lion spirit shook his head, "No, he isn't"

Lucy moved and placed her hands quickly onto his chest, eyes filled with worry, "Leo! That's who Natsu sent the other demons after. They're to look for the other six Wizard saints! Master is in trouble! You have to warn them! We can do the training later but, you have to go, now!"

Leo nodded and backed away, "I'll see what i can do, princess. Be safe"

Lucy watched as he faded into a golden light. Her bottom lip quivered, terrified about everything that's going to happen. She only experienced watching her first large battle almost a week ago.

"Has it really only been that long?" she thought aloud. Sighing, she moved onto the bed when her eyes darted towards the book. Lucy's eyes lowered, almost glaring at the leather bound object.

"What have you done, Natsu?"

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Guren no lkari Ost (extended)"**_

* * *

 **Meanwhile...**

Natsu was sitting in the throne room, waiting for the rest of the demons to show. He finished the restoration process, so it was only minutes until they awaken again. He sighed, claws tightly gripping onto the armrest of his throne. The giant lacrima was glowing, shifting through countless images in front of him. ' _Those stupid, old crones are not going to ruin my plans when I've made it this far_ ' he thought angrily. Eyes darting between the images, searching on his own for any indication on the whereabouts of the wizards. It was taking longer than he anticipated because it seems they've hid or destroyed any data left behind.

A couple of demons walked in, making Natsu hiss under his breath. "Did they wake up yet?" he said between his teeth while feeling frustrated by everything taking so long. Kyoka and Seilah smiled at him, hardly stepping into view before bowing slightly towards him. Their master barely glanced at them before focusing entirely onto the lacrima again.

"A few woke up, master" Kyoka spoke, "We informed them of their new mission for the time being. Tempester, Jackal and Ezel"

Seilah looked at her before looking back towards END."Hades, Keyes and Franmalth are still recovering my lord. However it won't be long before they wake up. That devil slayer magic is quite nasty work, isn't it?"

END turned his head towards them, a growl escaped his throat, "When they wake up, send them to find that devil slayer's boy. Then Eliminate him, i don't want any one out there posing a threat"

Kyoka sneered, "Gray Fullbuster? I wouldn't have imagined him being much of a threat"

Natsu glowered and stepped out of his throne. He grumbled loudly while walking towards the demons, "That stupid father of his passed his magic onto that child, So yes, he is a threat especially after that encounter i had with him"

Kyoka laughed bitterly, "Master, i think you're getting too soft if you didn't kill him yourself"

His eyes darkened and kicked her across the room. Her body smashed into a wall before falling over. Blood dripped from her lips and Seilah glowered towards END.

"Don't think so little of me, Kyoka. That is a warning" He snarled. Dark embers sparked off his body before snapping his gaze towards the other demon, "Just get your work done before you worry about what i do" END walked out of the room angrily, slamming the doors open as he left.

Seilah rushed over to the other demon, falling to her knees, "You shouldn't have said those things, Kyoka. You know how he gets" A dark aura started to emanate from her.

"It doesn't change the fact he's changing on us, Seilah. Sooner or later, he's going to have to realize there will be no time to play. Has he even tried to finish the ritual with the key?" Getting up slowly, feeling her joints crack from the movement.

Seilah clenched her jaw tightly when a book appeared beside her, "No. But i do know how to get it done another way" A sinister smile spread on her lips, Kyoka watched her carefully.

"Don't do anything to get yourself killed, I can't imagine..." Kyoka gripped her claws tightly together.

Seilah tilted the woman's face to her, looking into her dark eyes, "I won't have to do much exactly. More like exposing the truth"

They stood close together when Kyoka whispered quietly, "What do you propose we do then? If he finds out..."

Seilah smiled at her and held a finger to her lips, "She has his book" Kyoka's eyes widened and Seilah spoke again, "Normally, humans cannot open that book without consequences. I'm sure she was told such things. However, what would happen if she didn't have to open the book. Just merely touches it and has her worst fear exposed?"

Kyoka's smile darkened just as much as the demon in front of her, "Go on"

"A fitting end to their happy little world no? He would have no choice but to hurry his progress. When she finds out the truth about him, that key will shove him away, she will run and he'll be forced to lock her up permanently" The two demons started to laugh wickedly while leaving the room.

...

Natsu stomped through the halls, feeling irritated by everything. Always something out there to waste his time. Even though he had nothing but time, he was pushed towards his limit just retrieving his key. ' _Lucy...What am i going to do with you_ ' his thoughts started to linger. Her smile, her twinkling brown eyes that looked up at him. His heart skipped and he shook his head. ' _Now is not the time for this, I have to finish my work first. Making sure nothing can pull us apart_ ' His eyes darted to a nearby painting.

A small boy standing beside a slightly taller black haired child and two adults behind them. A Family he hasn't lived with for centuries. He stopped and stared at it for a moment when he suddenly pictures the blonde with him, smiling and holding hands.

Then it changed, the darkness twisted his vision into being surrounded by scorching, crimson flames. He saw her lifeless eyes while her body was laying on the ground. Natsu flinched, feeling at a loss.

The vision slowly faded, bringing him back to reality. He grit his teeth and small embers escaped his hands. Without another glance at the painting, he swiftly walked towards his room.

* * *

Lucy stared out the window, fingers still circling around her keys.

Virgo stood behind her, watching the stressed blonde, "Princess, What are you going to do about the other keys?"

The celestial mage was just informed about her missing keys, hidden away in the burned mansion. It made her heart skip for joy but at the same time, that place...her burnt down home was nothing but a reminder about what happened. Lucy's brows furrowed when she sighed, "...and how exactly am i suppose to get there? I can't just leave here. He'll find out and god knows what he'll do"

Virgo blinked a few times, "Leo can..." Lucy sprinted to Virgo immediately placing a hand onto her mouth, "Am i being punished, princess?" the pink-hair maid spoke under Lucy's hand. Lucy shook her head, shushing her.

"He's here..." the blonde strained her ears, if not for the sudden footsteps, she wouldn't have known. The double-doors opened and Lucy moved away from the spirit while Natsu walked in.

"I'll take my leave now then, princess" Virgo left through a bright light.

"Anything you want to tell me, Luce?" A small grin etched onto his face, clearly amused after hearing her through the doors.

Lucy's eyes narrowed when she turned her head, "Nothing important that concerns you" slightly huffing and folded her arms.

Natsu took a few steps towards her and noticed the untouched, dried out food left on the bed, "Is something bothering you? Did you not like it?" his tone changed. He seemed concerned and looked partially insulted.

The blonde shook her head, "Just not feeling hungry"

"Did i do something?" he moved closer to her and Lucy took a step back away from him. A small growl escaped his chest, now he really wanted to know what was bothering her. Lucy didn't say anything as she turned away from him.

Natsu quickly closed the gap between them, pinning her against the window. Lucy gasped and felt her heart jumping out of her chest. She was nervous and slightly afraid because Lucy knew she had upset him, there was no telling of what he'll do next. Heat was rolling off him in waves, feeling his hot body pressed onto her back. A part of her felt determined to keep going yet another part felt so pained, She wanted to tell him and she couldn't.

"What's wrong Lucy? Why won't you talk to me?" He asked while his hot breath trailed down her neck. Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore him.

"Get off of me" she managed to say under her breath.

Natsu growled louder, gripping her wrists tighter, "No, not until you tell me what's going on"

Lucy opened her eyes and looked through the window. Rain was falling silently, there was no thunder, no lightning. She stared at the unusual sight when she finally spoke under her breath, "The council, What happened to them?" Lucy turned her head halfway towards him. Natsu snarled under his breath and pulled back away from her. She noticed his eyes glowing red, He wasn't pleased with the question.

"What about them?" he said bitterly.

"What'd you order your demons to do to them?" Lucy glared at him, feeling herself grow hotter from the flames beneath her skin.

"Don't worry about them" Natsu stared down at her, clearly showing he won't speak anymore about it.

"How long do you think you can keep hiding things from me?" she said with an angry tone.

Natsu closed his eyes, holding a hand over his face, "Don't concern yourself with things that don't involve you Luce. Enough about this, i need to go"

Lucy moved to him quickly, hands suddenly bursting into bright golden flames. She grabbed onto his cloak and his body flinched from the burning touch. She knocked him down onto his back, hovering over him as she glared down.

He growled at her while she spoke, "It does involve me, I will find out Natsu. This...us thing" _pointing towards each other,_ "...Is going to stop. If you keep lying and hiding things from me then consider this over" shoving him back down as she got up.

Lucy swiftly moved over towards the bed and grabbed the book tightly into her arms. Natsu snarled louder as he got up, slightly baring his fangs when he looked at her. Lucy left no room for games this time with his life buried in her frail arms. Golden flames flickered off of her continuously and it's temperature was significantly stronger than before. Natsu didn't say another word as he left the room, slamming the doors closed behind him.

She could've swore she heard a strange click. ' _Has he locked me in?_ ' Lucy slowly moved over towards the doorknobs and jiggled them. ' _He did, damn it_ ' she stared down at the book and moved back over towards the window.

The sky looked like it was crying and that was when Lucy cried with it. Her tears fell silently, her body shook slightly from the small whimpers that escaped her lips. She felt herself falling apart, unable to take back the words she said.

Lucy knew this was the right thing to do. Throwing all her cards onto the table towards the fearsome demon, the demon she loved. She knew that now. Her heart ached painfully, feeling like it was being bruised inside. Lucy yearned to run to the doors and beg to be forgiven but, her legs didn't move. The silent tears continued to fall, dripping onto the book in her arms.

...

She must've passed out, not knowing when. Lucy blinked a few times, realizing she was in the bed. Sitting up slowly, she saw Natsu sleeping beside her. Her eyes narrowed to the book on the nightstand. ' _When did he come in? What time is it?_ ' It was too dark to see in the room but, it was enough to tell her it was late.

Lucy laid back down, feeling her hair covering parts of her face but didn't bother pulling it away. Her thoughts continued to roam around from her earlier realization. Lucy loved him, despite the situation going on right now. She sighed, holding an arm over her eyes, feeling that burning pulse coursing through her gently. ' _Why'd it have to be like this?_ ' she thought. She moved her head to the side, glancing at his peaceful, sleeping face. All of his markings were gone and Lucy felt herself staring at him. She smacked the side of her head quietly, ' _stupid, stupid, i can't do this'_ she thought irritably. She carefully got out of bed, without making a sound and moved towards the bathroom.

Locking the door behind her, she threw off her clothes and slid into the tub filling with hot water. She sunk herself in slowly, still feeling drained from crying earlier. ' _I can't love him, i cant..._ ' she thought to herself. ' _He's a demon that's set on killing people, with or without me around_ ' Closing her eyes, she felt herself sink further, ' _What is it he's trying to accomplish? What's going to happen to Fairy Tail?_ ' Lucy glanced out the large window on the side. The rain has stopped. It was eerily quiet. After being in the castle for so long, she grew use to the noisy weather, so now it was strange.

Time passed and the water got cold. Forcing herself out, she got redressed and walk towards the bedroom, only to see Natsu sitting up in the bed. Her heart skipped but recomposed herself. Lucy had to stand her ground so, she stood by the window, barely looking at him.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - The Celestial Spirit King Summoned Ost (extended)"  
**_

* * *

"Sorry if i woke you" she mumbled under her breath. He turned his eyes towards her, the red was gone but, they remained dark, something else lingered in them that she couldn't quite figure out. Lucy averted her gaze and looked out the window not saying anything more. It stayed quiet for a few minutes until Natsu moved out of the bed. He stood in front of her, looking down while she still didn't look at him, "what?" she said bitterly.

Natsu lowered his head down and moved to touch her when she suddenly flinched back from him. Her dark brown eyes finally looked at him, a look he hasn't seen in awhile. That icy glare again. His eyes narrowed, "Are you really going to let it bother you that much?" he spoke, breaking the tense silence.

"It's not like i have a say in the whole matter" Her tone was cold and folded her arms tightly across her chest.

The wet hair clung to her face and Natsu swallowed heavily. She was beautiful. The moonlight that peeked through the clouds, shimmered onto her hair, allowing the water droplets to sparkle brightly. The small maroon nightgown clung to her figure, making every curve visible. That fierce gaze, her scent filling the air and her beauty had him mesmerized in that moment. His thoughts of grabbing her into his arms lingered - but only for a moment.

"Who's been telling you things, Luce?" he said in an amused tone, "Was it that cat?"

Lucy glared at him. She moved to him close enough so that they were only an inch apart, "No. No one told me anything actually. I just pay attention"

Natsu took a deep breath. Her fiery scent was leaving him dazed and started to lose his train of thoughts. ' _When has she heard any of this? i made sure i kept my business..._ ' His eyes widened, ' _No way she heard me that one time i took her down there. She shouldn't have understood.._ ' that realization had him suddenly laughing darkly, snapping him out of his daze.

"I see, it's my fault then" he said quietly to himself between laughs.

Her icy glare hasn't changed and he moved in closer to her face. He spoke carefully as he felt her warm breath brushing against him, "What else have you picked up from me?" he murmured. Lucy stiffened and stepped back. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him. Lucy groaned and tried to shove him back.

"A lot of things, Like hiding the truth" she spit the words at him. Her flames suddenly coursed through her fiercely. The golden embers flickered off her threateningly and Natsu hissed back, dropping his hold. He gripped his wrist and small burn marks were left behind. Lucy's arms were coated with the flames now. Natsu lost all amusement, scowling at the girl while his demonic features started to show through.

"When have you learned to control that?" he said under his breath.

"I didn't. I told you before about it and now you've upset me" folding her arms, "Until you decide you want to talk, I'm not going to let you have your way with me anymore, END"

Natsu snarled, baring his canines at her, "Don't take my kindness for granted, Lucy"

Lucy laughed loudly as the bright flames flickered off of her, "Kindness? What kindness? Keeping me here? Not locking me away in some dirty cell?" Natsu stood up slowly, watching her flames carefully. Lucy scoffed, "The only kindness you've showed me was keeping me oblivious from you're real intentions. Trust me, i will find out" she spoke bitterly.

Natsu glared down to her furiously, "I've really liked you, Lucy. It's a shame it has turned out this way."

"A shame, really? I doubt a demon can understand a human's emotions thoroughly anyway. A delusion. Something i came to realize"

Natsu growled harshly, pointing his claws at her, "You're right, a delusion. Congratulations for figuring it out" and without another word, he left the room again locking the doors behind him.

Lucy felt the flames on her hands grow hotter. She fell onto her knees, holding her hands over her face when Lucy suddenly screamed on the top of her lungs from the anguish she suppressed the entire time.

Lightning flashed in the distance and thunder roared loudly as her cries echoed through the castle. Leo suddenly appears at her side. Rushing towards the girl and grabbed her tightly into his arms.

"Lucy, Calm down. Calm down" he rocked her as gently as he could. Her body was trembling and burning continuously. She didn't even acknowledge his presence. Her throat was straining from the painful screams.

Leo was at a loss with the girl's sudden breakdown. Being left with no other choice, he had to get her out of here now and fast, "Lucy I'll get you out of here, give me your strength" Without waiting, he grabbed her hands, holding them tightly. He picked her up and turned towards the bed. He also picked up END's book and started chanting. The doubled door's started rattling.

"...may the heaven's forgive and open your doors to the realm for thee.." his words echoed and Natsu slammed open the doors. Before he can lunge at them, Leo disappeared in a bright flash with the book and Lucy in his arms.

"DAMN IT!" his roar echoed in the building, alerting everyone and everything around them.

Kyoka and Seilah looked up towards the ceiling smiling. Kyoka mumbled to herself, "Someone took his toy away it seems"

Seilah closed her eyes, humming, "Now i can complete the last bit of the spell properly"

Kyoka turned her gaze towards the demon, "Of course, there is no better time than now" A bright light circled around them with a book floating at its center.

"Live the nightmare you feared most, Lucy Heartfilla. Learn the truth and embrace your dark past" Seilah spoke quietly.

* * *

Leo placed Lucy down by a water stream in the celestial realm. Her cries stopped but, her breathing remained staggered. Her heart was skipping randomly as she twitched from Leo's gentle touches. He was checking to make sure nothing else was wrong with her, no injuries of any kind.

He kept his eyes on Lucy, His face was pained from the outburst she had. Never in all his years has he seen someone in so much agony and it was because of _him_. His bangs covered his eyes, teeth gritting when he balled his fists, ' _all the more reason to loathe that thing_ ' Leo thought angrily. ' _I'll make him regret coming near her._ '

The spirit stood up, eyeing the book beside her. He only touched it briefly and it burned him. Even though he was able to touch Lucy just fine, that book was different. It felt evil, felt wrong. Only Lucy was able to touch it normally, so he kept it by her. Leo looked at his hands, feeling the dark magic that flowed from Lucy into him. He needed to get stronger, for her sake.

END is going to go on a warpath after he took her away in front of him. It took all of his magic power to pull them both out of there. Getting out of the realm is going to be a different story. He closed his eyes, arms trembling, ' _I'm worried about Magnolia now. If i didn't know better, it'll be the first place he'll target'_ The lion spirit turned around towards the riverbank, "Spirit King, May i have a word?"

It was quiet for a few moments until a bunch of stars started to swirl around, forming into a large being. A Giant came into view with a large sword on his back. His arms folded, looking down towards the two small beings below him. His armor shined brilliantly like the stars, his mustache was almost as long as his arms. The king spoke, voice echoing around the area, "Hello there, old friend"

Leo smiled up at him warmly, "I have a favor to ask of you, something important"

The king nodded.

The lion spirit glanced at the blonde below him, "I ask of you, to look after her for a while. I know people can't stay here too long but, the situation calls for an emergency. The destroyer is going to go on a rampage and will stop at nothing to get her back. The book right there is his. It's the real thing and i cannot touch it. Only she can. I beg of you, Celestial King. Can you look out for her while i go check on our guild. I fear the worst has only just begun."

The Celestial King looked down towards the pale blonde, "Only for awhile. This world isn't meant to house humans as we are the same in their world. Be careful, Leo"

Leo smiled and bowed, "Thank you. I'll go right now" He kneeled over to Lucy, brushing the side of her face gently. "Get better, Lucy. Be strong" Leo disappeared back into the human world and the king looked down to her.

"The path you walk, old friend is dark. I fear the worst has yet to pass" A bright star shined beside him, the king turned to look at it before nodding, "So she houses those flames. It seems we know what he was after" He glances at her, frowning, "Those flames, if it got in the wrong hands. I fear for the worst" The star shined brighter, "I know, it speaks the end of the world as we know it. I think deep down Heartfilla felt it too. Felt herself falling into darkness no matter how much she's surrounded by light" The celestial king faded into a distance as the words lingered in the air.

* * *

Lucy blinked a few times, unable to comprehend where she's standing. The room was surrounded by bright flames and light. It felt warm, comfortable. She felt her heart spike, reminding her what she left behind.

"Where am i?" she spoke quietly to herself. A bright flame flickered upwards, high into the air.

A voice echoed, "Gate guardian of the stars" it whispered.

Lucy bit her lip, trying to listen to where the voice was coming from, "Who are you?"

The voice echoed again, "Not who. That's not the question you should be asking."

Lucy's face pinched with confusion, "Question? What are you then?"

The voice echoed loudly, another flame flickered at her brightly, "I am your power, guardian of the holy flames"

The celestial mage shook her head, "What do you mean? This magic doesn't belong to me. I'm a celestial mage"

"Your power was awakened by the opposing force. To protect your soul. Our flames reject darkness, We protect." it echoed loudly and the flames started to blind her.

Lucy held an arm over her face, confused, "What am i protecting?"

The flames erupted in front of her, revealing a strange being, similar to herself. It spoke, "We are here to protect. It is our duty to defend against the darkness that's threatening to spill"

Lucy shook her head, "I don't even know how to control it properly! It's only when i want to stop someone from hurting another. When I'm upset or scared..."

"To protect. Your heart yearns to protect what you hold dear to you, Heartfilla. Your destiny has just begun and our power is yours to use. Protect the world from the darkness. That is our duty"

"It doesn't make any sense! I'm a celestial mage!"

"A guardian of the gates, is a guardian between realms. The key holder, the key to this worlds destruction" the voice echoed loudly. The words rang in her ears. Lucy gasped and held a hand to her chest, "The key to..."

"To destruction. Our flames are made to protect, it can also destroy everything"

Lucy felt her chest fill with sharp pains, tears spilled over, "Is that what i was to him?" Lucy fell to her knees, tears spilling over, "It was all a lie, wasn't it? He never wanted me...for me..."

The flames just flickered at her. Not a word was said.

Lucy wiped the tears from her face, watching the golden flames flicker towards her hands, "To protect?.." she spoke quietly.

"It's up to you on what you choose to do, Heartfilla" the being pointed towards her before becoming one with the flames again, "Protect what you hold dear and the answers will become clear"

* * *

Lucy was jolted awake, feeling that burning pulse coursing through her. She looked up and saw a beautiful star filled sky. Strange colors mixed and blended around the whole area. The riverbank nearby was flowing gently, the ground was shimmering - reflecting with the sky above. Lucy turned her head to see the familiar pink-haired maid standing in front of her.

"Virgo!" Lucy got up and walked towards her.

"Welcome to the celestial world, princess"

"How'd i get here? How'd i get out of that castle, Natsu..." Her eyes widened, everything happening all at once and she can't seem to keep up.

"Big brother took you here after you broke down. He left to take care of something important. He said you should rest here, at least until you feel better" The pink-hair woman pointed to a table full of food, "Please, help yourself, princess"

Lucy's eyes darted to the food, her stomach growled angrily. Walking over to it she spoke quietly, "What happened?...It's so hazy in my head..."

Virgo moved next to Lucy, she placed the black book next to her swiftly, "Big brother took this with you as well. Said it was something important to you"

The celestial mage felt her heart stop while eyeing the book, "Natsu..." she slammed her hands onto the buffet table, "Fairy Tail is in trouble! I have to help them!"

The maid placed a hand on her, "That's what big brother left to do. He even borrowed some of your magic power to get you here. Please, you must rest for a bit"

"My magic...? That won't stop Natsu from tearing the place apart! Leo will just get sent back here! I have to help them." Lucy felt her throat tighten. Her fingers curled around the book, "He's going to kill everyone that gets in his way, whether im there or not. He won't stop...He wont.."

A loud, regal voice echoed around them, "Old friend, worry not. It's what we're here for." The Celestial king emerged in front of them.

Lucy looked up to him, eyes widening, "You're..."

The king smiled warmly at her.

Lucy shook her head, "I apologize, your majesty for cutting this short. However i must insist you let me out of here, please"

The king closed his eyes, "The guardian of the Zodiac pleaded that i watch over you, Lucy Heartfilla"

Lucy turned her gaze towards Virgo, "Please someone has to help me go back to my world"

"We are very aware of what's going down there at the moment. Understand, everyone is doing their best to protect you. There's a dark path awaiting for you, Heartfilla."

"What do you mean?" Lucy spoke quieter while looking at the celestial king.

"A war has begun and it won't stop until one side is entirely eliminated, Old friend. Your path is intertwined between them. The path you take is up to you"

Lucy blinked and looked at her hands holding the book, "Does this have to do with my flames and Natsu?" Her tongue lingered over his name. Feeling bitter over the truth. If it was the truth.

"It's not for me to say, The choice either way bares no good ending. I'm afraid it depends on the sacrifices you make. A path that only you can choose for yourself"

Lucy frowned, letting the words linger in the air, "To protect...protect what" she mumbled to herself.

Virgo tilted her head towards the blonde, "Princess...?"

Lucy snapped her gaze towards her, "The flames...the magic spoke to me while i was out. It said, i was the guardian of the gates. To protect something. That i was also the key to it's destruction." Saying the last few words hit her strongly. Realizing the weight it held. She turned her head towards the king in front of her. His expression was filled with sorrow, "I think, i know what i have to do"

The king nodded, "Very well, Old friend. May the stars watch over you. When you're ready to go, The gate to your world shall open" He faded back into the stars and Virgo watched the celestial mage with concern.

"Virgo, can you help me get back...To fairy Tail?" Lucy spoke quietly, staring at the twinkling stars above.

The maid nodded, "Of course, princess. If that is your wish"

"It is" Lucy looked towards the food, ' _I must protect my friends. My family, Fairy Tail_ ' she thought as she started to eat quickly.

* * *

 **Now for the preview!**

* * *

 _*~It was that moment Lucy realized what she just witnessed. Her heart stopped and the room faded into darkness. Lucy was now sitting in an empty black room, feeling emotionless. She didn't try to move, she didn't try to think. Lucy felt empty after watching the demon rip the life from her mother.~*_

 **See you next chapter!  
**


	17. Chapter 16: Living a Nightmare

**AN: If i had to be honest, these next few chapters have me nervous...actually scratch that, the rest of this story does. (;_;)  
There's still so many things i want to re-fix as i go along but, its going to be a very long ride on the feels train. Not wanting to spoil too much but, i will say this, Forgive Lucy's mental state for awhile. As you'll see, she will endure a lot of things and too many conflicting things mess her up so... (;^;)/ just keep that in mind.**

 **As always, enjoy the new chapter and thank you so much for the continued support! (^.^)/**

* * *

Lucy gripped Virgo's hand tightly. The pink-haired maid nodded slowly towards her, "Hold tight, Princess"

They stepped through a large white portal, back to Fairy Tail. The blonde celestial mage held onto the other girl tightly as their bodies were being pulled through a large tunnel. Lucy felt her self being torn in all directions - hair whipping back fiercely. There must've been thousands of stars flying past them, at least that's what it looked like. The colors blended so closely towards the end, the blonde couldn't make out the individual stars anymore. They emerged through the end of the long tunnel, landing heavily on a pile of dirt behind the guild. Lucy got up carefully, looking at Virgo who was already standing.

"Call when you need me again, Princess" Virgo bowed and disappeared.

Lucy bit her bottom lip, forcing herself up after the impact. Her eyes darted around and saw the sun peeking behind the clouds. She coughed a few times as she quickly ran towards the back of the guild. ' _Its so quiet, where is everyone?_ ' she thought to herself. Lucy opened the doors slowly, listening to everything she can. Taking a deep breath, she walked in closing the door behind herself. She only took a few steps when she was suddenly greeted by someone.

"Miss Lucy!" the small dragonslayer came running towards her, crashing into her arms. Lucy held her ground as she hugged Wendy. The blonde felt warm, happy tears spilling. She was thrilled to see one of her dear friends again.

"Wendy, I'm so glad to see you. How are you doing? Where is everyone?" Lucy shifted the blue-haired bangs from Wendy's face, seeing her eyes light up with excitement.

"Everyone is in the infirmary, Laxus and Mira just woke up!"

Lucy felt her chest tighten, ' _They only just now woke up?_ ' she thought sadly.

"Let's go see them!" The celestial mage nodded towards the girl and she smiled. Taking Lucy's hand, Wendy led her towards the infirmary.

Wendy tilted her head up slightly, "Miss Lucy, where have you been? Is everything alright? How'd you escape?" Lucy knew she was worried about her. However, there were too many questions for so little time they have. Lucy sighed heavily, remembering why she came here in the first place.

"I promise, I'll tell you later. For now, Where is Leo? Where is the guild master?" Lucy said quickly as they arrived towards the white room.

Wendy's gaze flickered to the ground, before opening the door, "The master left a couple days ago and Loke is in this room. Is something wrong?"

Lucy shook her head, "Let's see how these two are doing first" the blonde forced a small smile and Wendy didn't pry any further. When they walked in, all eyes turned to them. Everyone nearly shouted at once, meanwhile Leo stood up, eyes filling with worry.

"LUCY!" everyone came running towards her. Lucy smiled at them but, the girl couldn't relax at the moment. A sudden warm pulse washed through, alarming her. Lucy started to panic.

"Where is everyone else?" Lucy said quickly, mostly towards Leo. The lion spirit didn't move, his eyes averted.

"They're outside, helping the city" he said quietly.

Lucy pushed passed the group and everyone moved back from the rushing girl. Mira and Laxus eyed her carefully, "We have to get everyone out of this city. Now!" Leo's eyes faltered, balling his fists slightly.

"You shouldn't have left the realm, not yet anyway Lucy. It's dangerous to be here now and everyone is already informed about the incoming danger"

Lucy nearly yelled, "THEY KNOW?! Then why are they still here? Everyone can die because of me!" Tears fell down her face, feeling her skin burn underneath as well.

Leo placed a hand on her, "Lucy, Where are they going to go? The city's citizens are still gone for the most part and this is a mages guild, they can fight"

The celestial mage felt the fire coursing through her, warning her of the incoming danger, "This is different. Leo, The demons are after the wizard saints. That only leaves one, ONE demon left to come here. You already know who is coming. These people will die because of me!" She said bitterly. "I know what i have to do. I figured it out, Leo. This fire isn't his. The only thing i got from him was my ability to sense things. To feel more than an ordinary person. The fire that's inside of me is meant to hold him back and him alone" Lucy took a deep breath and moved closer to the spirit, "...and I know why he wanted me. It told me and i put the pieces together"

Leo felt his heart sink, forgetting the outside world for the moment and focused entirely on the girl in front of him, "The fire told you? Lucy, What is going on?" He tilted her chin towards him. Both of them felt like the world's burdens weighed on their shoulders - unable to waiver from their decisions.

"The holy flames from the heavens. It's meant to burn away the darkness, to protect whatever it is the holder needs it for. The downside is, it can also destroy everything when it's used improperly..." those words alone sent alarms through Leo's mind.

"Destroy..." he breathed. Lucy nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes.

Everyone in the room remained quiet, listening intently on their conversation. Laxus moved upwards more, scowling towards the celestial mage, "You were the one he needed then" He spoke bluntly towards her. He too, had adept hearing because of the dragonslayer senses. Wendy stood behind Lucy, holding her shirt tightly.

Lucy turned to the blonde man, feeling the anguish burn in her chest, "Fortunately, He didn't get what he wanted. I figured out his plans quickly enough it seems. He wanted me for his own benefit" she felt the words stinging at her heart, tears threatening to spill again. Lucy spoke again, eyes closed and clenching her jaw, "He kept me around, kept me close under his watch - just to get the better of me and i realized it. I realized i have something to protect from him" Lucy turned to Leo and opened her eyes. Her gaze was strong and spoke her next words carefully, "I need you to use some of the fire power Leo. I know you can use it. Your whole being is built on light"

Leo stared down at her, studying her face carefully. He brushed her cheek gently, "Lucy, it's risky if i do that. Despite it being your power, there is still darkness behind it because of him. It can go wrong unless you cast his power away, maybe that's why you have such a problem controlling it"

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - A Blaze that Burns Evil Hearts Ost"**_

* * *

She shook her head, "We have to try. Leo look, you're the only chance we have. i can't fight but, you can and i can help protect you. I want to do this together"

The lion spirit nodded, "Very well, princess. Give me your hands"

Lucy held onto Leo's hands as the people behind them watched. A bright glow started to emanate around them. Leo winced when a sharp pain shot through him. Breathing heavily, he held his ground as the burning feeling started to reach his fingers.

She opened her eyes to see the golden flames surrounding them. Lucy felt the intense, comfortable heat consume her and Leo. Small embers shot out around them randomly as the flames licked at their skin. Leo gasped and groaned before collapsing to the floor.

"Leo!" Lucy tried to kneel down towards him, waving her own flames out.

Leo held out his hand towards her, "Stay back!" he growled under his breath. He fell onto his side and Lucy cried.

"I'm sorry, i should've listened! Leo! Please, tell me you'll be okay!" she pleaded and a bright light flashed in the room. It sent Lucy and Wendy flying back. Laxus shot out of his bed and stood in front of Mira. Everyone else fled out of the room.

Few minutes passed and the smoke cleared. Lucy got up carefully, eyes widening when she saw Leo.

His bright orange hair got longer, spiking all the way down his back. His usual black suit turned into brilliant gold plated armor. His Zodiac symbol was neatly fixed onto the plated front. There was also a long dark cape draped behind him. Lucy walked towards him slowly while Wendy stayed where she was. The blonde stretched her arm out towards Leo and he opened his eyes. No longer hiding behind the glasses, his gaze pierced through Lucy, making her stop in her steps.

"Leo...?" she breathed shakily.

He nodded. Leo held up his hands towards his face, looking at them carefully. "I never thought I'd see this again anytime soon. It's been too long." he spoke quietly.

Lucy moved again, standing a foot in front of him. Leo turned his head down to look at her, smiling gently, "You feeling okay now?" she said carefully, Watching his eyes most especially.

Leo chuckled, "Yeah. Your the first Celestial Wizard to awaken my true power Lucy, even though it was quite painful. Sadly, I won't be ale to use it for too long without draining myself in the process. There was a reason i suppressed it for awhile"

She grimaced, "Sorry..." she touched his face, gently cupping it in her hands and Leo held it there.

"It's fine for now but, maybe I'll be able to hold that demon back for a bit" He watched Lucy pulling her hand back and quickly turned to her bag that was hanging on her back. She pulled out END's book.

"Worst case scenario, I'll do something about it. I really thought doing this was playing dirty but..." Leo touched her shoulder.

"All's fair in Love and War Lucy" He smiled at her. Laxus scoffed before he moved over towards them. Mira watched carefully and Wendy ran to her side.

"I need to pay back that stupid Lizard after that stunt he pulled" Laxus said between his teeth. Lightning sparked off his body, making Lucy step back a bit.

Leo laughed, "We all have something that we owe the demon, don't we?" turning his focus back to Lucy. She averted her eyes, cheeks tinting pink, "Lucy, mind if talk to you for a moment?" He said quietly. Lucy turned to look at her friends and Laxus before nodding.

"Let's go outside then" she responded, giving Wendy and Mira a quick wave before leaving.

* * *

Lucy and Leo stood outside as the wind gently brushes past them. The blonde kneeled in front of the lake, staring into the clear waters. Leo stood a foot behind her before speaking barely above a whisper.

"Lucy, You don't have to fight. I'll understand if you don't want to see him" placing a hand onto her shoulder. She shook him off and stood up.

"I have to stop him, Leo. It doesn't matter how i feel about him. What he did, what he plans to do...Look i don't want to start this conversation again. I know i can defend myself now, I know i can hurt him either way. My flames left a mark on him last night" Biting her lip as she looked down.

Leo took a step towards her, "Your flames hurt the fire demon?"

Lucy nodded, "It's meant to protect what i hold dear, which is my friends. I'll do whatever it takes Leo. Whether you want me to or not, I'll stand by you regardless"

Leo sighed and gave her a tight hug. Lucy leaned her head onto him, curling her fingers towards her face, "I loved him, Leo. I didn't want to leave him. I have to do this, i can't sit back and watch" she felt tears slip down her eyes. Her heart ached painfully and her chest tightened into a knot like feeling.

Leo didn't say anything and only listened to the sobbing girl, "He can be so gentle. He smiled at me, held me so dearly and then last night, i asked what he was doing, trapping him by his own words and..." Lucy choked back her words, feeling it tear her insides apart, "He refused to tell me anything, he only laughed and told me to forget everything. I told him if i was just disillusioning myself and he just went along with it. HE WENT ALONG WITH IT LEO! Natsu told me to my face that i figured it out. He gave me the most painful glare before leaving me in that room by myself. I felt like he just tore out my heart, Leo. I was so stupid for thinking...thinking for one moment that we had something..." Lucy felt her body shaking, tears spilling everywhere. "Why do i still yearn for him, Leo...Why can't i just accept it and move on.."

Leo bit his lip, unable to answer the poor girl. The answer was obvious but, he didn't want to tell her. Closing his eyes, he let the fragile girl cry into his arms. That was until he felt something dark coming close-by. Leo growled under his breath before turning his gaze towards the guild. Lucy wiped the tears away when the lion spirit suddenly looks down to her, "Do you have the book with you Lucy?"

She nodded and pulled up the book. Holding it close to her chest, Leo turned around, "He's here, Lucy. END has come here just like you said he would"

Her eyes widened, "Where is he?"

A burning pulse washed through her, the golden flames yearned to be released. The threat was nearby and Lucy couldn't feel him out at the moment. She glanced at her left arm, placing a hand over it. ' _The flames must've blocked him out, when did that happen?_ ' Lucy felt the flames growing hotter under her skin, warning her again there's a threat nearby.

Before Leo moved, a sudden shadow flashed by and stopped right in front of them.

"Gray?!" Lucy said in shock. Leo looked down to him, grinning.

"Got here in time it seems. Did you track him" Leo said amusingly, despite the incoming threat.

Gray turned to look at them, his demon slayer form was already in place, "Yeah, i tracked him. Sorry about the disappearance Loke" the ice mage blinked a few times before straightening his posture. A confused look covered his face, "What's with the sudden change of looks?" he asked the suited lion spirit.

"Lucy gave me a temporary boost for now" glancing at the worried blonde next to him.

Gray nodded to her, "Good to see you again, Lucy" Lucy smiled at him weakly until he noticed the book in her hands, "What are you holding?" Gray moved his hand over towards it and Lucy stepped back while shaking her head.

"Don't worry about it..." she said quickly before pointing to the now sudden wall of fire across the city, "It seems Natsu isn't going to be holding back in the slightest" she mumbled under her breath.

Gray clenched his jaw as the cold magic started to freeze the air, "Time to cool down that temper of his."

Lucy moved in front of them, "Let me try talking to him first..."

Leo and Gray both spoke in unison, "No"

Lucy balled her fists and stomped her foot at them, "Just give me one chance! If he refuses...then I'll have no choice and we'll have to fight him. Got it?" Raising her voice slightly. The two men glanced at her until Gray stood in front of her.

"One chance, Lucy. If we fail, this whole city will be completely smothered in ash"

Lucy nodded and turned towards the incoming flames, "Let's go"

* * *

Leo, Gray, Lucy and Laxus were running towards the incoming fire wall. Before they ran off, Laxus met with them outside the guild doors and without any complaints, Lucy let him follow. They jumped to each available rooftop, watching themselves before falling down into the piles of rubble.

Leo and Gray informed Laxus on the situation, he groaned and protested but, eventually decided to agree to it, "I just wont hold back at all if that demon slides past her. Thunder Palace is already set up around this area, so he'll be the one covered in black ash this time"

Grinning, Gray turned away, "I got my own plan already set up" both men nodded to each other as they watched Lucy run ahead with the black book in her hand. The ice mage tapped Leo's shoulder when they finally stopped, letting Lucy take the lead. "What is that book she's holding, Loke?"

Leo frowned and sighed, "That book..." Taking a deep breath as he turned away from them, "Is END's book. The book that holds the life of the demon"

Gray and Laxus both fell with shock, "What's she doing with something like that?" Laxus said bitterly, "We can stop this whole thing with that book"

Leo shook his head, "No one can open or touch that book except her. It'll burn anyone else who grabs a hold of it. Even i burned from holding that book for a mere moment." he said quietly.

"Tch. My devil slayer magic should be able to freeze that thing to the core" Gray snickered when more cold air started to surround him. Leo shook his head at the boy.

"It won't be that easy i'm afraid. Let's just stay here and keep an eye on her" They both nodded and focused on ahead.

* * *

 ** _"Song play - Fairy Tail - Fist of Flame Ost(extended)"_**

* * *

Lucy felt her heart beating out of her chest. Felt the roaring fire inside of her - burning under her skin. She watched as the dark flames engulfed the area in front of her.

Finally picking up his presence, her eyes searched for him. ' _Where is he?_ ' she thought panicking. She stopped at the far side of town, the wall of fire a few hundred feet in front of her. She closed her eyes, focusing on every sound, listening to everything. Straining her ears, she finally picked up footsteps closing in on her. Before she can turn around, she felt claws circling her throat. Keeping her eyes closed, Lucy stayed still. Feeling Natsu behind her, she only breathed through her nose, not speaking as she waited. Waiting for that moment he tries to kill her finally.

Without another wasted moment, she moved her hand over his, feeling his grip tightening.

"Why are you here, Natsu" she spoke, barely able to breath. His hold remained when he spoke close to her ear.

"Why'd you leave?" he hissed. Her heart continued to beat rapidly, afraid of his intentions. She turned her head slightly behind, feeling his claws scratch her neck.

Lucy started to whimper, "I had no choice" she wheezed, "I'm not going to stand by while you kill innocent people, Natsu"

He laughed darkly. She turned her head around as he let go of her. Small drops of blood trickled down her neck and he grabbed her close to him seconds later, "So you came to watch instead?" voice filled with amusement.

Lucy glared at him when suddenly spilling her golden flames around herself. Natsu hissed and jumped back. Spreading his wings, he crouched - snarling at her, "Pull back those flames, Luce"

The celestial mage didn't move as the golden flames shined brighter, threatening him. Natsu had his dark flames engulfing his body when he stood back up, claws still curling slightly, "I refuse, Natsu. Not until you walk away from here, without hurting anyone" She held up his book in front of herself then pulled it into her chest. Eyes closed as she hugged it, "I won't have you hurting anyone anymore, Natsu"

Natsu glowered to her, baring his teeth, "So, that's how you're going to play, Isn't it? I gave you something irreplaceable and you're just going to use it against me?"

Lucy snapped her gaze towards him while her flames flickered dangerously, making him step back. The two flames hissed at each other, threatening one another to consume. Lucy gritted her teeth when a tear fell down her face, "AND YOU DIDN'T USE ME?!" she yelled, voice echoing in the air, "I figured it out Natsu. I figured out why you wanted me. Your precious key!" she hissed angrily. "You wanted these flames for your own use. Well guess what, It's too late. I'll never let you use me for destruction!" Her golden flames lunged at him and Natsu flew high into the air away from it. His growls echoed loudly in the skies.

The demon snarled down to her while flying around the flames, his eyes burning a bright red, "I trusted you Natsu. I was the stupid one who actually started to care about you" Lucy choked back her tears, forcing herself to keep talking, "I thought you actually cared about me. Kept me close, opening a side of yourself you showed no one else but, that was all a part of your ruse wasn't it? I don't know what stupid ritual you were trying to pull but, i do know you forced your way into my heart. And you have, you've made me love you despite everything!" she screamed. Tears poured out from her anger, "Why does it have to be this way?" she held the book tighter to herself when the golden flames lunged at him again.

Natsu didn't say anything. He watched her cry her heart out again and a twisted pain filled his chest before forcing himself to move away from the incoming golden flames. ' _Damn it_ ' he growled in this thoughts. ' _When did she find out about any of this, How did she know? I was so careful about everything and i even found myself bending every rule for her_ '

He clenched his claws tightly together before lunging a flaming fist towards the golden light and it burned through his crimson flames. He yelped as the her flames started to eat its way through his flaming cloak. It was only minutes until another wave of golden flames lunged at him, overpowering him entirely. He didn't want to fight her anymore, he couldn't do it after all. Natsu didn't want to complete the ritual, he held back because of _her_.

If he had completed it, her will was no longer her own. Her smile would've been gone, her laugh would've died. Lucy would've been an empty shell of what she once was. He didn't want that from her. Growling at his pitiful state, he blacked out as the golden flames continued to devour him and he welcomed it, for now. He let her take her frustration out on him. Natsu didn't want to burn the world anymore, he wanted to burn away the enemies that got in between them. Just keeping Lucy to himself and away from everyone else.

* * *

Gray, Leo and Laxus ran over to the fire wall. They all stopped and were shocked from the sight. Lucy Heartfilla defeated the fire demon by herself. From the looks of things, she had no struggle what-so-ever.

"Mind telling me what the hell happened?" Laxus said suddenly as he eyed the golden flame covered demon. Lucy looked at them, eyes swollen from the tears. Her body was trembling but, her flames didn't waver. Leo walked over to her, he was the only one that can touch her at the moment.

"Lucy, What happened to him?" pointing to the unconscious demon.

"We talked, He listened. He was angry with me but, he didn't try fighting me" Lucy's fingers brushed over the book, "I told him everything, Leo. However he still didn't say anything. I'm such a fool aren't I?" chuckling to herself painfully.

The lion spirit held her tightly and Gray stared down, "You seriously did a number on him" Gray snickered, "Wait 'til gramp's hears about this"

Lucy moved away from Leo and walked over to the fire covered demon. Kneeling down, Gray and Laxus backed away just enough to give them room. They still kept their guard up though.

"Natsu" she whispered, pulling his dark pink locks away from his face, "Natsu can you hear me?" He was completely unconscious. Lucy sniffled as another tear escaped her swollen eyes, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" she breathed as she touched his face gently.

Laxus and Gray were genuinely confused at the sight, "Mind telling me what this is about?" Laxus looked at Leo, knowing the girl wasn't going to answer him. The lion spirit shook his head and mouthed, " _Later_ "

Lucy stood up and looked at Leo, "Leo, can you pick him up. We have to get him out of here. As long as he stays covered in my flames, he won't do anything. At least for awhile" Her eyes darted back to the demon. Laxus and Gray groaned.

"Great, so now we're going to have to baby-sit the demon?" Laxus huffed and started to head back towards the guild.

Gray glared at Lucy, "Just so you know, I'm not okay with this either." He walked away following Laxus without another word. Leo moved over and picked up Natsu over his back. Lucy sighed and nodded to Leo as he started to walk.

"I'm sorry for making you do this, Leo. I know deep down you probably just want to get rid of him..." Leo didn't look at her.

"I'm here to follow your wishes, Princess. Not my own" Lucy winced and bit her lip.

"Still..." Leo stopped and looked at her carefully.

"We'll talk about this later. Let's go before he wakes up. Last thing i need is a pissed off demon waking up on me. ME of all people" Knowing he was the last person that Natsu wanted to see again. Lucy nodded and they quickly made their way back to Fairy Tail.

* * *

Everyone stared from a far distance. Leo placed Natsu down in the middle of the guild. All the chairs, tables and belongings were moved. The area was barren, just in case. Lucy took a chair and sat by the demon. Laxus and Gray stood against the wall, keeping watch on them. People whispered to one another, confused about what was going on. Wondering why they're letting the enemy rest in their guild. Lucy ensured them, he wont be a threat as long as her flames covered him. However, it's only if she's able to keep her flames out. There's no telling on what would happen the second it disappears. Lucy bit her lip, eyeing the pink-haired demon, wondering if the other demons are going to come as well. She prayed they kept busy elsewhere. She knew she wouldn't be able to use her flames anymore than this.

Lucy got out of her chair and kneeled down next to him. Leo twitched from the sight but stayed in his spot nearby her. He was their only back-up at the moment. The celestial mage brushed his hair back again, feeling the heat under his skin. Tears pricked at her eyes, still in pain from his lack of response from earlier. However, she saw something in his eyes change, she just couldn't place what it was. "What is it that goes on in your head, Natsu" she whispered quietly. Leo moved over towards the two tense men leaning on the wall. Leo explained to them quickly about her and Natsu. However, that was when it suddenly got cold and loud.

"SHE WHAT?!" Gray yelled, making the whispering come to a screeching halt. "No, i refuse to accept that. There is no way." Cold air coiled around him, freezing the area under his feet. Laxus glared harshly at Lucy. She ignored them, knowing this would happen. She honestly didn't want Leo to say anything but, no one else would understand why she was touching the demon this way. Tenderly brushing his cheek, his hair. Watching him breathe quietly while thin streams of steam escaped his lips, "LUCY!" Gray yelled towards her, "Tell me that he's lying, Tell me that this is just some kind of a sick joke!"

Lucy didn't say anything. She gripped her shirt tightly across her chest as her other hand stopped over Natsu's cloak collar. She barely turned her head towards the furious ice mage, "He's speaking the truth, Gray." she spoke almost inaudibly. Gray stomped off, slamming the guild doors open as he left. Laxus scoffed and stayed where he was. The only thing he cared about was having another re-match with the demon. Didn't care about the girl's ties with him. Leo walked back over to Lucy when he sat down in her chair. Lucy turned her head back down towards the fire demon.

Grimacing, "It's nothing to be ashamed about, Lucy. Ignore him" Leo said quietly.

Lucy nodded and continued brushing her fingers against Natsu gently, "I'm afraid about what happens when my fire goes out" she said suddenly.

Leo's brows knit tightly, "That's why i'm here, princess. Don't exhaust yourself. I warned you before about what happens when you strain your magic"

Lucy glanced at him then sighed, "I know. I'm just slightly tired. So much is going on and yet..." Her chest tightened when she glanced over at the book beside her, "I don't want him waking up while I sleep. There's no telling what he'll do. I'm worried about everyone, not just myself"

"How about i wake you the moment your flames start to go out. This way you can get some rest in" Leo suggested while his eyes darted towards the lightning dragonslayer. Lucy stood up and looked at Leo. "Take him to the infirmary, I'll sleep on the other bed beside him" Leo nodded and picked up Natsu.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail Ost - Zeref's Melancholy(other version)"**_

* * *

Lucy moved the bed's closer, leaving a small gap between them. Leo already placed the unconscious demon down and sat nearby Lucy, arms tightly folded. The blonde celestial mage slid into her covers and closed her eyes. She can still feel the fire burn strongly under her skin so for now, she knew she had time to sleep. It only took a few minutes before she passed out. Leo sighed, slightly annoyed by their relationship, ' _Lucy has no idea, does she?_ ' Something in his chest stung strongly, making the lion spirit clutch his chest. ' _That pain again, why is it every time i think about...ugh_ ' clutching tighter as the pain grew stronger. Leo glanced at the girl and saw the book tightly wrapped in her arms, ' _Lucy, i worry for you. I really do..._ ' he thought while the pain soars through him.

' _Where am I?_ ' Lucy coughed and wheezed while walking through the dark corridors of a familiar place. She heard explosions in the distance. Everything was burning around her. She tripped over fallen debris as she walked. ' _This place, why is it so familiar?_ ' she continued coughing when she walked down a moon-lit hallway. Her eyes widened when she looked outside. ' _My home, why am i here?_ ' More debris fell down nearby, making her jump backwards. It was then her eyes locked onto two beings across the hall. Lucy tried to move but her legs suddenly felt heavy. Her eyes stared at the two people, One was pressed against the wall. The other was towering over them. She strained her ears - trying to listen to them.

"That attitude of yours is pitiful for a lady" he growled. Lucy watched in horror as he suddenly plunges an arm into the woman. Lucy suddenly had a flashback of what happened to Leo. Natsu did the same thing. Lucy held a hand to her face, tears falling as she watched the person pull its arm back out and throwing the bloodied body towards Lucy. The celestial mage felt her life drain from herself and bile suddenly rose in her throat. Lucy fell to her knee's looking at the person that was now laying in front of her.

"Mom...?" she choked out, "Mommy...?" Lucy couldn't speak any louder and she still couldn't move. She watched as the other being came into view and Layla Heartfilla spoke quietly between her staggering, dying breath, "My Spirits...will never...let you near my...Lucy" The blonde woman coughed heavily. Blood spilled from her lips and Lucy wanted to scream her heart out. Her eyes locked onto the the creature that stood over her. Lucy felt her throat tighten when the moon-light shined onto him. "Natsu...?" she mouthed quietly.

"Those pathetic stellar spirits are nothing compared to me!" he stepped onto the woman's head, crushing her beneath his feet. Lucy tried to move towards her mother and failed. At the moment, she felt a part of herself dying. She couldn't understand or see anything around herself anymore. Lucy's empty eyes watched as her mother was slowly dying from the demon she fell in love with.

With her last dying breath, her mother spoke quietly one more time, "I believe...in my...spirits. They'd do anything...to protect her from the likes of you..." The demon that stood over her crushed her down further as it roared at the top of its lungs. It was that moment Lucy realized what she just witnessed. Her heart stopped and the room faded into darkness. Lucy was now sitting in an empty black room, feeling emotionless. She didn't try to move, she didn't try to think. Lucy felt empty after watching the demon rip the life from her mother. Her eyes stared at the black emptiness before slowly standing up.

Her lifeless body started moving towards the darkness, as if something was calling out to her. There was a demon grinning as it held its red-scaled arm out towards her. Lucy stared at the demon with her blank expression as she slowly raised her arm. She touched his claws and the demon curled its hand around her wrist.

"You're mine now, Luce" it spoke quietly. Lucy didn't say anything as the words bounced off her. She turned her gaze to look at his dark green and red eyes. "No one is going to take you away from me" it continued to speak between its grinning teeth. Lucy suddenly felt the burning flames course through her. Golden flames licked at her feet, shooting up towards the demon.

"What're you doing, Lucy!?" it growled. Lucy suddenly collapses to the ground - crying her heart out. Clutching her head tighter, she realizes now what game she was being pulled through. The lying demon who deceived her and he won. He got her under his fingertips no matter how much she fought it. Her heart was his and she wasn't able to take it back.

She continued to scream in agony when the images of her dead mother flashed in her mind. END killed her - murdered her in cold blood. Lucy completely hated herself in that moment because she still loves him. Natsu's smile flashed in her eyes when the golden flames flickered towards it. The flames burned away any images she saw of him.

The girl finally passes out while laying in the dark room as her golden flames surrounded her - protectively.

* * *

Lucy was jolted awake by Leo. Her eyes darted around looking for the book. He picked it up off the floor, hands burning before dropping it onto the bed. Her empty brown eyes darted towards the book and placed it onto her lap. Leo spoke louder, snapping Lucy out of her daze.

"Lucy for god sakes, Speak to me. What happened?" the spirit shouted. Lucy blinked and looked towards the other side of her bed. Her golden flames were still around Natsu.

"What happened?" she breathed. Her throat still felt strangely raw. An image of her bloodied mother's face popped in her head again. Lucy felt more bile rising in her throat and quickly swallowed it back down. She was feeling nauseated and sick. Her face has entirely paled and her palms were soaked with sweat.

Leo grabbed her face between his hands, holding her gaze towards him, "Lucy speak to me. You were screaming and tossing. I tried to get Wendy in here but even she couldn't help you..."

Lucy blinked, tasting the sourness lingering in her mouth. She shook her head slowly and her head throbbed. She couldn't even cry at the moment, instead she spoke with an emptiness in her voice, "I saw it Leo. I saw my mother" She stared in front of her, the pained expression twisting on his face. He brushed the golden hair behind her ears.

"What'd you see Lucy?" he spoke quieter. Lucy's eyes turned back towards Natsu and Leo followed her gaze. Leo swallowed heavily, realizing what she might've saw. The thing he wanted to tell her but, something was stopping him.

"He killed her" she said bluntly.

Leo felt the words drop on him like a bomb. This girl said something that should've been so painful but her voice held no feeling to it. It sounded as if her life has been entirely drained from herself. ' _What on earthland did she see?_ ' he thought. ' _She had such a blood curdling scream and then it just stopped. Wendy ran out of the room crying and that thing didn't even so much as twitch_ '

"Leo" she didn't turn to him, "Mind if i get some water?" Lucy moved over to Natsu and dangled her legs over the one foot of space between the beds. Leo nodded and walked out of the room quickly.

Lucy moved her hand over Natsu's face when pain struck through her heart. "So that's it huh?' she said quietly. "You got what you wanted, I know everything. What're you going to do now?" she continued to speak when she saw his eyes twitch. His hand curled over hers when he opened his eyes. Lucy didn't move, however the burning pulse remained under her fingertips - threatening to come out if he tried anything.

"I won't do anything" he breathed quietly. "I won't..." and he passed out again, dropping his hold on her. Lucy suddenly felt her heart drop. Eyes darting all over his face. She held her hand over his cheek and a silent tear fell. Leo walked back into the room and Lucy snapped her gaze towards him. He handed her the water and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Mind telling me what happened in that dream of yours?" he spoke quietly. Eyeing the girl's fingers lingering over the demon.

"It was a nightmare.." she spoke quietly after drinking the water.

"Anyone could've guessed that, However, you said..." Lucy cut him off.

"It was more than that. I know, It happened, i felt everything. I smelled and heard everything. I was left there to watch the entire moment he slaughtered my mother. The life in her eyes fading..." Lucy's voice remained calm as she brushed Natsu's cheek with the back of her hand. Lucy turned to Leo, "And there was nothing i could've done about it"

Leo stiffened in his spot when he dropped his gaze towards the demon. Anger, pain and guilt washed through him. Unable to pick an emotion to focus on, "Lucy..." he spoke irritably.

Lucy shook her head and her eyes fell towards the book, "I know what i have to do now. Leo, i just need time" she said quietly. Leo got up and eyed her questioningly.

"What is it?" he said with worry filling his voice, "What is it that you're suppose to do, Lucy?

She let a small smile slide onto her face, eyes softening as she looked down at Natsu, "I have to protect what i hold dear"

Leo's eyes darted between them, "I don't understand..."

Lucy sighed and picked up the book onto her lap again, "It's like i said, I have to protect what i care about. Whether it's right or wrong, this is what I'm suppose to do" Lucy hardly felt any meaning in the words as she said them. It just came out. There was no emotion lingering behind, she just didn't feel like herself. She wanted to sleep, sleep for a long time. Her body fell forward onto Natsu.

Leo rushed over to her, picking her up slightly into his arms and placing her back onto the bed. He watched in horror as the golden flames started to fade, "Lucy! Wake up! Lucy!" He balled his fists as he stood over the girl. His eyes narrowed towards the demon that was going to wake up any time now, "DAMN IT!" slamming his fists onto the bed, "LUCY! WAKE UP!"

A creak was made and Leo felt his chest tighten. He looked up to see Natsu glowering at him, "Get away from her" he hissed. Leo backed up as he watched the demon hover over Lucy. He lowered his head, leaning onto her gently, "No one is allowed to touch her except me" he breathed, knowing Leo can hear him. Other people started rushing into the room from the loud commotion. Wendy, Laxus and Gray were in the front. Erza was coming in from behind the group. Leo paled as he watched his guild mates suddenly take battle stances, tension hanging heavily in the air.

* * *

 **Preview for next time!**

* * *

 ***~ "...** _All she wanted was her friends safe and him to stop hurting people. Her eyes lingered over him, watching his expression change. Her words hung in the air as Natsu closed his eyes, face pinched with confusion. Lucy moved up onto her elbows and touched his cheek with the back of her hand. Natsu moved back away from her..."_ **~***

 **See you next chapter!**


	18. Chapter 17: Boiling Point

**AN: This story is so bumpy with feels, can be a bit confusing to some. However, i really like how this is coming out though (^_^)/  
**

 **Sadly, the story is coming to an end soon, sort of, About 9 "Main" chapters left. BUT! Im working on a new little project at the moment X3  
**

 **\\(^_^) _Enjoy this new chapter and feel free to leave a review when you're done! I love hearing back from my readers_ :3**

* * *

 ** _"Song play - Fairy Tail - A Shadow Shall Go By Ost"_**

* * *

Several swords were shot across the room. Erza and Gray were being pushed back by Laxus and Wendy. Leo moved swiftly between the crowd and END.

"Get out of my way!" Gray yelled from the top of his lungs.

Erza had her arms locked by Laxus, "Get off of me, Laxus" Her eyes darted towards the demon,"I swear I'll make you regret coming to Fairy Tail and hurting Lucy! You hear me, END?!" she too screamed loudly. Wendy huffed, feeling exhausted from holding her precious guild mates back. Leo had his strange blue flames flickering towards them, creating a dim wall of fire between the mages. END hasn't moved much from his spot, still hovering over the sickly girl.

"Instead of worrying about why I'm here..." He snarled loudly, "Get some medicine for her" his eyes remained focused on the blonde in his arms. Lucy's breathing was getting weaker and sweating more by the second.

Leo snapped his gaze towards him and then looked down to Wendy, "Wendy, help Lucy"

The small dragonslayer looked at the angry demon, remembering what he did to her before. She hesitated for a moment but, she knew she had to help Lucy.

"Okay" she said while nodding. Leo let her through and the girl took careful steps around the bed. Natsu eyed the small girl carefully, refusing to move from his spot.

Wendy trembled lifting her arms up over Lucy, "I can help her" she mumbled. Natsu watched as the girl's hands started to glow green. He listened to Lucy's ragged breath sharpen before she finally relaxed after a few minutes. Wendy finished the little bit she can do and immediately stepped back.

"She only needs to rest now. Lucy only had a small fever"

"You can leave now" END spoke just loud enough to be heard across the room.

Leo turned his head towards them, "Wendy isn't leaving this room"

Natsu turned his gaze towards the lion, "I was referring to you, cat"

Leo narrowed his eyes, angrily, "I'm not leaving Lucy alone with you again"

Erza and Gray tried to move towards them again but, Laxus shocked them both from behind, "Cool your heads for a moment" the male blonde glared down at them.

Gray glowered towards him, "Are you defending them?"

Laxus scoffed, "Don't make me laugh. I want to smash him in first but, your precious friend is between them, no? Besides once she wakes up, he'll be helpless again" snickering towards the demon. Natsu growled when he heard them.

Erza looked to Laxus then towards the demon, "You were the one that was tormenting her this past month, weren't you?"

Natsu glanced at the scarlet mage, a grin slid onto his face, "Has she talked about me?"

Erza stiffened and balled her fists, "What is it you want from her?"

Natsu leaned his head onto Lucy while the devilish smile grew larger on his face and responded in a low tone "She wants me..."

Erza shoved back Laxus and was only stopped by Leo instead, "That's not what i asked!" she yelled, "I won't let you get away with any of this!" More swords started to float around her. Leo stared down to Erza, shaking his head.

"He's too close to Lucy, Stop it now, Erza" he spoke hesitatingly.

Erza tried shoving past him, "Move out of the way, Loke" Natsu straightened himself up and walked behind Leo. The scarlet mage immediately raised a sword behind the demon's back. Leo gritted his teeth from the demon's close proximity. He too wanted to beat up END for making Lucy cry but, he concerned himself with Lucy's safety first.

"Do it" the demon snickered. He knew the sword was behind him, however he knew it wouldn't do anything to him as well.

Gray had cold air circling him as the black markings returned on his right side. Natsu glowered to the ice mage and stepped back. Erza's eyes widened slightly from the exchange. Gray snickered, "What's wrong, END. I thought you wanted us to attack you?" A pink ice sword shot out from his hand, now pointing towards the demon.

"That's enough!" Leo yelled suddenly.

"Tch" Natsu moved back over to Lucy and Erza looked down to Gray.

"What happened to your ice, Gray?" she spoke while eyeing the retreating demon.

"Demon slaying magic, Thanks to my old man" the ice mage kept his sword out, not taking his eyes off END.

"I should've got rid of him ages ago" END spoke suddenly, turning his gaze to the crowd, "But, i guess i have you to thank for that, demon slayer"

Gray gripped his sword tighter, "How'd you know what happened?"

Natsu pointed a finger to his head, "I watched it all"

Gray fumed angrily, "You weren't anywhere near us at the time!"

END looked down to Lucy and murmured, "I saw it through her, the little star overlooking everything"

Everyone fell silent and a thin layer of ice shot out from Gray but, Leo melted it instantly.

The ice mage looked up towards Leo, "That's impossible..." he breathed.

Leo shook his head, "It isn't. Lucy had me borrow her power to wake up my own, the flames of destruction"

Erza moved towards Leo, before she can speak, the demon growled.

"It's annoying to think something so simple can go wrong in so many ways" the demon didn't turn around when he continued to speak, "To think it was my own fault" it whispered quietly.

Gray scoffed at him, "Why are you here anyway? You sure as hell didn't stick around before"

The demon brushed Lucy's hair away from her face, "Why should i tell you? It's none of your business"

Erza folded her arms, "Lucy doesn't need to have you around. She can get better on her own. Get out of here"

Natsu cackled, "On what grounds do you have the power to command me?"

Leo flicked his wrist towards the demon, the blue embers made contact and Natsu hissed furiously, "Stop provoking them. Before i make you leave"

Eyes shot up towards Leo. Wendy remained quiet, focused on Lucy's health, "Why are your flames blue?" Erza said quietly, "I thought Lucy's was gold"

The lion spirit dropped the fire wall, "The essence of these flames is made up of light. However i do know Lucy's flames is as equally powerful or more-so"

Lucy started coughing, grabbing the demon's attention. The small crowd retreated out of the room, leaving only Erza, Gray and Laxus at the end. Leo moved over towards the bed. Wendy got up and gave Lucy another dose of her healing magic.

Without a word, Natsu moved his hand over to Lucy's left arm and started to mumble incoherent words. The lion spirit watched as the mark started to disappear from her. Wendy's eyes glanced to it as well then looked back down to Lucy. The color in her face was returning. END sighed and closed his eyes. Leo didn't say anything, feeling slightly relieved to see that horrendous mark gone.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Lacrima Ost (extended)"**_

* * *

Mira came running in with a lacrima in her hand. She stopped immediately after seeing the demon in the room, her eyes narrowed, "What's he doing here?" she spoke irritably. Laxus looked at the girl and shook his head, "Long story. Did the old man finally had something to say?" Leo immediately moved over to them, shoving them out of the room. Closing the door behind him, he looked towards Laxus.

' _Can you hear me, Laxus?_ ' speaking loudly in his mind.

' _Yeah, what gives?_ ' Mira looked at them confused as the two men stared at each other. Leo placed his hand onto her shoulder.

' _Talk here, Mira. END cannot hear anything about this. Now what happened to Makarov?_ ' the lion spirit watched the lacrima in her hand flicker on. Leo sighed heavily, "Master, give us one moment" He quickly re-opened the door to see Natsu sitting on the bed beside Lucy. Wendy was still on the other side, only sitting this time. Closing the door again, he looked at Mira, "We have to go outside"

* * *

When they got a few feet away from the guild, Mira flicked on the orb again.

"What're you brats up to?" the old man spoke from the other side, "Now is not the time to be playing games!"

Laxus being blunt, he spoke first, "END is in the guild, Gramps'"

The air silenced. Wind blew past them and Mira sighed, "He's speaking the truth."

Leo closed his eyes and nodded, "END is in the room with Lucy and Wendy"

Makarov paled, "What?" he said raspy voice, "Why on earthland is that demon in our home? How is the poor girl doing? Explanations, Now"

Erza stepped in behind them, joining in on the conversation, "I'm just as confused as you are, master. However, from what I've gathered, Lucy brought him here"

Makarov's face pinched with confusion as he closed his eyes, "I'm glad to know the girl is alright. However, what concerns me now is that demon. Why is he here? This could be a problem"

Leo spoke quickly after, "Lucy can control END for the time being, Master"

Makarov's eyes opened widely at him, "How so, boy?

"She has his book and those flames of hers isn't his. It's different, rather, it's his opposing flames" Leo continued to speak as the rest listened. "For now, END won't raise a finger as long as she's there with him. I'm afraid without her around, we wouldn't be here talking so freely. He came here earlier, ready to burn down the place until Lucy somehow ' _reasoned_ ' with him. Her flames imprisoned him for a short time until this past hour, she has gotten terribly sick. Wendy is watching them carefully at the moment"

"I see..." Makarov sighed, "The saints are coming from Alvarez, including Serena" he said the last word almost bitterly.

Erza cleared her throat, "He was there? How'd you guys find him?"

The guild master looked at Erza, "That doesn't matter. We have a plan right now to stop END for the time being"

Leo looked confused, "Stop him? What do you mean?"

Makarov closed his eyes, thinking, "We managed to get the four gods to collaborate. They all agreed to take down END once and for all. The demons they've sent after us were all eliminated and Warrod already went after Tartaros, planning to take the place down too as we speak"

Erza held a hand to her chin, "One of the founder's of Fairy Tail...He's still alive?" Makarov nodded.

Laxus spoke quietly, "how exactly do you plan to stop END?"

Everyone listened carefully when the old man spoke, "We plan to seal away his powers, making him human once more"

Leo blinked a few times, "Human? What about his book, can't you guys just destroy it?"

Makarov shook his head, "Only Zeref can destroy that book but, we can block END's power for the time being. The only problem that remains is getting him away from Lucy"

Erza spoke carefully, "I think i might have an idea how, Master" Makarov nodded to her and she continued, "Lucy never let's go of that book and with END always following her now, We can have Lucy take him to were we want them instead. So once they're in place, We can isolate him."

"How long will it take for you guys to suppress his power though? I'm sure he's not going to just sit there and take it. He'll fight back and with Lucy being in love with the demon, I can almost guarantee you she'll try to stop you guys from laying a finger on him." Laxus looked at the group next to him and noticed them staring at him blankly, "What? It's the truth. If we're going to do this, do it right and look at all the angles"

"SHE WHAT?!" Makarov yelled loudly. Mira rubbed her ears from the sudden outburst, Erza looked just as dumbfounded. The scarlet mage didn't know about Lucy's and END's relationship either.

Leo shook his head at them, growing weary from having to explain the odd relationship to everyone, "It's complicated" he said quickly, "Now is not the time to be worried about their ties, right now we need to focus on getting them to the desired location. Which is?" looking at Makarov intently.

"I'm afraid i cannot say for now. I'll be coming back to Magnolia tomorrow. Keep an eye on the two, do you understand the 'lot of you?" Makarov's image flickered off the screen. They all stared at one another before Mira turned towards the guild.

"A demon and a human, how...interesting" she whispered.

Erza shook her head slowly, holding her head as if she was in pain, "I don't want to think about it"

Leo scoffed, "At least you guys didn't have to see them together" rolling his eyes as he started to walk back towards the guild.

Laxus didn't say anything and just followed them.

* * *

Wendy fell asleep in the chair after she exhausted her magic power. The girl tried her best not to fall asleep in front of the demon but, her body forced herself otherwise.

Natsu didn't care about the dragonslayer's presence, his eyes continued to linger on the blonde. Felt relief when the room was finally quiet and Lucy's fever was disappearing. Natsu was furious that his magic was the reason she was getting sick. If he had to guess, he blamed the flames that now resided in her.

This whole time Lucy had the power he was looking for inside of her. He was so close to his previous goal before he decided to abandon it. As much as Natsu wanted to up and leave, he couldn't. He wanted to make sure she was alright. He wanted to laugh at the idea of being held down by a small human girl, the almighty demon being shackled by something so fragile but, her flames were exhilarating to him. The first time he can actually be burned from his own element-No, it was beyond that. She had the flame of the gods. Something more powerful than himself. The very thing he wanted to destroy this world with.

However, she still had ways to go. Lucy can barely keep the flames out long enough without exhausting herself. ' _What have you done to me_ ' he said quietly in his thoughts, ' _What an interesting little star you are, Lucy_ ' He lowered his head onto her chest again, listening to her small heart beat. Lucy's heart skipped when he heard a sudden sigh come from her. Turning his head to look at her, Natsu finally saw the brown orbs shining at him. The corner of his lips perked up, "Hey there" he said quietly.

Lucy blinked a few times and tried to sit up. Wendy was still out in dreamland, "hey" Lucy said dryly. Natsu turned around and grabbed the glass of water by the nightstand. Handing it to her, Lucy only glanced at it.

"I didn't do anything to it" he said quietly.

"Why are you still here?" she spoke.

Lucy took the glass and Natsu turned his gaze away, "Had to make sure you were okay. You looked deathly ill before"

The blonde's eyes narrowed and as she placed the water glass down, "You could've left with me. Why are you still here?"

Natsu blinked up towards her, realizing now what she meant, "Tch, you complain i take you away from your precious friends and now you're going to complain i didn't take you away. Make up your mind, woman"

Lucy's face tinted pink and she hung her head low, "oh"

Natsu moved his hand onto her lap, brushing her knee gently, "Feel better now?" he spoke gently.

Lucy shook her head, "No i don't"

"What's wrong?" he asked curiously. Lucy moved his hand away, not looking at him. He stood up and moved over towards her. Not paying attention to anything else in the room, "Tell me" murmuring into her ear.

"I saw it Natsu" she said shakily. Her hands started to tremble, "I saw everything you did that night"

Natsu froze in his spot and he moved his hand away from her, "What are you talking about?"

Lucy turned her face towards him. The light overhead shined in his eyes brightly and she took notice how green they were, shining like emeralds. Lucy was surprised when she noticed how human he looked. All his demonic features were hidden despite being out in the open in front of his enemies. Lucy glanced away as she continued to speak, before she got too distracted from staring at him, "...That night still haunts me to this day" she whispered quietly, "The night that changed my life, the night you killed my mother, Natsu"

Her hands folded together tightly. She bit her bottom lip, quivering as more images of her bloodied mother flashed in her eyes. Natsu stepped back, eyes darting to the floor. His silence made Lucy more uncomfortable, the more quiet it got, the more the words stung. It means what she saw wasn't a lie. She turned herself around towards him, throwing her legs over the bed and grabbed his book that was on the night stand, "Tell me, Am i wrong?" she spoke bitterly.

Natsu felt his chest tighten, knowing where this was going to go. It seems the more he tried to hide things from her, the more he tried to be like a person, Karma always came to pay him back, pulling them further and further apart. Natsu just wanted to make her pain stop, he wanted her to smile only for him. He wanted to go back in time and change everything, get her by different means and start all over. A world just for the two of them.

"I guess your way of solving things is just not talking, isn't it? So quick to speak poorly of everything around you but, your tongue remains silent towards the truth for me" Lucy gripped the book tighter in her hands. Natsu eyed her fingers that were digging into the cover, her knuckles turning pale white. Taking a deep breath, he slowly moved his hand over to hers - brushing his fingers across lightly. For once she didn't move, instead he heard a whimpering sob coming from her. He moved his other hand to brush her hair behind her ears. Natsu felt his throat tighten seeing the girls swollen, tear filled eyes. He wanted nothing more than to make it all go away.

"Why does it have to be you" her words were barely audible.

"What do you mean?" Natsu almost missed the words, so absorbed in his thoughts about her.

She tilted her head towards him, lips quivering, "Why can't i stop thinking about you?" she said shakily, "You killed my mother, You destroyed this town, Your doing nothing but destroying everything around me and yet" She pulls the book over her face, golden flames started to flicker off of her shoulders. Natsu's eyes watched it carefully, afraid it'll burn him again.

Lucy moved her hands over his face and the golden flames moved down her arm, swallowing her pale fingers. Natsu almost jumped back from the sudden threat, only to realize, he wasn't being burned. The flames were hot, hotter than his own and yet, "My heart wants nothing more than to protect you, Natsu. These flames know me better than myself" she said quietly. Natsu brushed her cheek and leaned his head onto hers.

"There's nothing i can say to make it all okay" speaking finally. Lucy remained silent, "Nothing i can do to change it, nothing i can do to make the pain you feel go away. If i could, i would. You're the only thing i can see now" he said almost in a whisper, "I want nothing more than to have you all to myself, away from everything" He didn't mean to. Words just started to slip away from him, unable to grab them back. It didn't make sense as to why he was suddenly opening up to her but, something inside of him made the demon talk, that feeling to let her know what goes on inside of his black heart.

Lucy chuckled quietly under her breath, "That makes two of us then. Nothing in this world makes sense to either of us" it sounded like she was talking to herself at the moment. Natsu closed his eyes when he heard footsteps behind them. Growling under his breath, he felt Lucy move around him. He grabbed her wrist and was only slightly relieved she didn't pull away. Her other arm still gripped tightly onto his book though.

Laxus looked at them, arms crossed, "You guys need help" he said under his breath. The dragonslayer heard everything, irritating him and then walked away out of the room. Erza and Gray looked at each other and Leo frowned at Lucy.

Gray folded his arms and narrowed his gaze to the blonde girl, "Are we interrupting anything?" He then looked at the demon who was still growling at their presence, "Good to see you awake again, Lucy. However, mind telling him to cool his head. We're not going to do anything unless he starts"

Lucy glanced up to Natsu and shook her head at him. He let out a long sigh and sat on the bed behind her, pulling her onto his lap. Lucy's face went crimson and Gray rolled his eyes. Erza moved an arm out in front of Gray and spoke quietly, "Lucy, are you alright now?" Leo moved towards the empty bed and sat across from them. His magic was started to fade after spending too long in the human world. He had to head back to the celestial world to replenish but, he was afraid to leave Lucy alone with END.

Lucy mumbled quickly, feeling slightly embarrassed from the position shes in, "I'm fine. How are you guys doing?"

"Better than you probably. For one, we don't have an overgrown lizard clinging to us" Gray grumbled. Another growl escaped from Natsu and Lucy elbowed him gently.

"Another retort from him and I'm burning the popsicle to a crisp" he grumbled into Lucy's ear.

"I'd like to see you try" Gray held up a pink sword that suddenly appeared in his hand.

Natsu snarled and Leo stood up, "That's enough from the both of you!" he yelled. Gray scoffed and leaned onto the wall. Lucy glared to the demon behind her. Leo moved away and looked out the window, "Lucy i have to go for a bit, You'll be okay?"

She turned to look at her spirit and Natsu's arm tightened around her waist, sighing, "Alright. Do hurry back when you're ready, Leo"

He nodded and faded into a bright light.

The room grew awfully quiet. Gray remained leaning on the wall, Erza moved to sit in the chair. Lucy hasn't moved off of Natsu and he leaned his head onto her, "when can we leave?" he whispered into her ear. Erza flicked her eyes towards them without moving her head.

Lucy didn't say anything. Hearing Natsu sigh loudly, she tried to pull herself up but he held her down. His voice lowered as he whined "where are you trying to go now?"

Gray snorted from the back of the room, "Let the girl move, how far do you think she can go anyway?"

Natsu shot him a menacing glare and let go of Lucy. Gray and Erza watched the small exchange while Lucy looked at the two with curious eyes, "Let's get something to eat. I'm starting to feel dizzy again" she grimaced and then turned her attention back towards the demon. Erza and Gray moved out of the room, leaving the two them behind for the moment.

"You could've said so sooner" he spoke quietly.

"With you holding me down like your life depended on it, hardly" Lucy retorted and then giggled.

Natsu smiled at her, finally feeling a bit more like himself, "You look better when you smile"

Lucy's voice fell and her face went red, "L-Let's go" pulling him out of the bed. Natsu chuckled and allowed himself to also be pulled across the room.

Wendy rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times, she was the only one left now in the quiet, empty room.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Zeref's Melancholy Ost (extended)"**_

* * *

Lucy walked across the riverside, looking for an open spot to sit down and eat the fish they've caught. Natsu watched her carefully, making sure she doesn't trip over the jagged rocks. Lucy was humming quietly to herself, almost as if the world's problems were gone for the moment. Natsu has never felt this relaxed before, even when he was at his own castle. He always had the displeasure of the other demons interrupting him. He listened intently on the girl's humming, letting the sound fill his ears until he heard her stop.

Natsu saw Lucy standing in front of a tall, cherry blossom tree. With the sun setting, her golden hair blended with the light, making it seem as if it was glowing. He was lost in a daze when Lucy suddenly snapped her fingers at him. Natsu blinked a few times and grinned, "My bad" he said quickly. He grabbed a pile of sticks and set up the fire while she pulled a small sheet from her bag.

The celestial mage felt better after the sickly feeling she had before. For just that moment, it felt like the world was just theirs. No demons, No fighting. It was just peaceful, she can honestly say she was happy at that moment. Even though deep down in her gut, she can still feel the pain in her heart about her discovery with her mother. It was like he said before, honestly for once, He couldn't take her pain away. He couldn't undo it. Lucy grimaced towards herself, wondering if this was okay. Will her mother turn her head away in shame? Will she still love her daughter despite knowing the truth? These questions started to plague her mind when Natsu pulled her out of her daze this time.

"Something bothering you again?" The light emanating from the flames flickered across his dark green eyes that were staring at her curiously. She can barely see the worry that was lingering on his face.

"Just thinking about things" she said quietly. Lucy placed the fish onto some sticks and held it over the fire.

"Want to talk about it?" Taking his gaze off of her and stared into the fire.

"Why'd you do it?" It pained her enough to know he did it but, if she was going to bury this with a peace of mind, she had to know why.

"Do what?" he spoke while his hand started to play with the flames near him.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about" she folded her arms and legs. Her eyes stared into the flames as well when she spoke again, "Why'd you kill her, Natsu?"

It stayed quiet for a while. The moon and stars started to shine over them. The only light they had now was from the small campfire.

"There was no reason" he said quietly.

Lucy's eyes darted to him, searching for his eyes that were still staring at the ground, "No reason? You killed my mother for no reason at all?"

He looked at her, his eyes were empty when he spoke again, "She would've got in my way. There was no other reason" he said bluntly.

The blonde shifted away and took her eyes off him. Her chest tightened and her fingers dug into her arms. It was then she realized the mark was gone. Lucy moved her left arm towards herself, searching for the bite mark and scales.

Natsu took notice, "It's gone now" he spoke with sadness lingering in his voice. Lucy looked up at him carefully when she moved her arm back down, "Something went wrong and i had to remove it. Shortly after, you started to get better from that strange illness. I blame the fact those flames of yours were forcing my spell out"

Lucy sighed and closed her eyes. She fell onto her back, feeling the cold breeze lingering in the air. Natsu pulled the fish out of the campfire and moved next to her. He laid down, brushing her arm slightly with his. Lucy kept her eyes closed, letting the crisp, cool air fill her lungs, "I'll never forgive you for that. Just so you know" Natsu didn't say anything, instead he leaned over her, brushing the golden strands of hair away from her face. She flinched from his touch and fluttered her eyes open.

"I know" he breathed quietly, "Nor will i ever ask for it"

Lucy kept her eyes on him, his green eyes were twinkling from the moon light again. She felt her heart skip a few times.

He leaned his head towards her and brushed his lips onto the top of her head. Lucy remained still, "Despite that" she spoke, breaking the small silence "I want you to know, my feelings for you won't change. I love you, Natsu" the words alone made her heart flutter. Lucy meant every word of it. The pain he caused her, the harsh truth of what he is. She didn't let it phase her heart.

All she wanted was her friends safe and him to stop hurting people. Her eyes lingered over him, watching his expression change. Her words hung in the air as Natsu closed his eyes, face pinched with confusion. Lucy moved up onto her elbows and touched his cheek with the back of her hand. Natsu moved back away from her and sat with his arms folded. His eyes remained closed and Lucy sighed.

"Can demons love?" she said quietly.

Natsu opened his eyes and looked at her confused, "What?"

Lucy looked at him, feeling her throat tighten from the question, "Can Demon's love?"

Natsu blinked a few times and turned his gaze away, "I don't know"

Lucy moved over to him and placed her hands onto both sides of his cheeks. His eyes darted to hers as she held his head gently, "Do you love me?"

The words hung again in the quiet air and Lucy leaned her head onto him. She so badly wanted to know what he thought of her - no she knew that. Lucy wanted to know how he felt for her. It pained her heart that he straight out said, ' _I don't know_ ' if demons can love. Lucy closed her eyes and a tear fell down her face. Her arms started shaking and he moved his hand over hers that was cupping his cheek. He closed his eyes and kissed her palm gently.

"I never loved anything before, I wouldn't know what that feeling is, Lucy"

Lucy sniffled as more tears fell down her face and chuckled nervously, "gosh, i don't even know if i can explain this..."

Natsu wiped the tears from her eyes as she continued to speak, "Love, is something that'll never make sense. It's just there whether you like it or not. You don't get a choice once your heart is set on it. Whether your mind says it's wrong, Your heart will beat for them anyway. You smile for that person and only them. You open up in ways you never thought possible. It's painful when they're sad, it's painful when they're hurt and far away. No matter where you are, you'll always think of them. Always wanting to be there for them no matter what" Her voice trailed as she looked at Natsu's eyes who was staring back at her.

Her heart was beating rapidly and was starting to feel a bit scared. Lucy wants him to understand. She can turn purple saying I love you repeatedly, however it won't matter if he can't understand it.

Lucy's heart yearned for Natsu entirely and was pained when she was hurt by his words before. ' _Delusional_ ' Is her feelings now still deluding her? Will her words ever reach him or will he just laugh it off again, pulling her heart strings continuously until she breaks completely. More tears fell down her face as she slid back away from him. Her body was trembling unable to explain it any further than she has. If he doesn't understand it by now...then it was possible she set herself up in this mess with no way out.

Natsu remained quiet, his hand slid down onto his lap, watching the girl cry in front of him. ' _Love_ ' he thought curiously, ' _Seeing her smile, thinking of her...Is that what love is?_ ' his eyes watched the tears from her face fall. His heart stopped the more he thought about the things he's done around her. The things he would've continued to do if he didn't stop. His thoughts stayed lingering and his hand started to move up towards her face again.

Lucy was still shaking from the quiet sobs. She looked at him from under her eyelashes. The tears clung to them tightly, looking almost like dew drops with the moonlight shining down on them. ' _Maybe i do love her_ ' he started to think quietly, ' _I'd do anything to protect that smile of hers_ ' he closed his eyes again and pulled his hand back when her words started to echo loudly in his head, ' _Never forgive_ '. No he didn't want her to. He took something away from her that can never be brought back. He was a monster that the black mage created. Natsu looked down at his hands, ' _I shouldn't be allowed to love, i don't have the right to...I'm just...'_ his thoughts stopped when Lucy went towards his face again.

Lucy's bright brown eyes got closer and he felt his heart beating heavily. Her fiery scent barely lingered but, he loved it all the same. Natsu closed his eyes slowly, letting the smell consume his entire being. Her soft, warm lips brushed over his cheek, to his nose. His breathing stuttered as she got closer to his lips. He wasn't going to move. Natsu was curious on what she was doing. She continued to trail downwards and stopped at the corner of his lips. He can hear her heart beating just as fast as his was. He longed for her so much but, his hands were tied. He couldn't do anything to her, not now anyway.

Lucy pulled back, leaving him confused. He opened his eyes and saw Lucy looking past him. His ears suddenly picked up tree branches cracking and a familiar, unwelcomed scent lingered in the air with it. Natsu felt his blood starting to boil. They got interrupted because of _him_.

Gray waved over to Lucy until his eyes fell onto the pink-haired demon. Frowning, "Does this guy ever leave you alone, Lucy?" he said in a low tone, "Erza wants to know if you're coming back to the guild tonight" pointing to the direction behind him. Natsu growled under his breath, hating the very existence of the ice mage behind him. The celestial mage elbowed Natsu into the ribs and the demon yelped, crouching over. Gray laughed.

"I'll be back soon" Lucy grimaced before looking down towards the now cold fish. She pulled herself back and picked up the fish-sticks. Lucy handed one over to Natsu.

Gray nodded, "Mind if we talk later, without your...friend" eyes narrowing. Natsu shot him a glare and Lucy nodded.

"Yeah" she said quickly before biting into the fish. Gray left back towards the guild and Natsu looked up towards the blonde, "Don't worry about him, Natsu. We're just going to talk about whatever he has in mind, okay?" She smiled lightly towards him and he shrugged.

"Whatever" he grumbled.

* * *

Gray stood at the backdoor of the guild, eyes darting towards the scarlet mage who lingered by the steps, "They're coming soon. I feel like i just walked in on something i shouldn't have. They're way beyond close" feeling drained, he sat down next to Erza who continued to stare out into the distance, "Something wrong?" Erza glanced down towards him and sighed.

"Jellal said he'll be here soon"

Gray's eyes widened, "What about Gajeel?"

Erza shook her head, "He hasn't said anything since the guild master left. I'm sure he'll be back soon. We need all the help we can get right now"

"So tomorrow huh?" he looked at the pale moon above. The stars shined behind the thin clouds that lingered.

Erza moved towards the doors, "Make sure you talk to Lucy. She needs to understand" and she walked through the doors. Gray folded his hands tightly together, head hanging low.

"I'm afraid she won't" he said quietly.

His head snapped up when he heard people approaching. Behind the trees she saw Lucy and Natsu getting closer. The ice mage stood up, eyes locked on the demon and folded his arms. Lucy looked towards Natsu, who looked irritated yet again. Gray watched as the pink-haired demon moved away back into the forest quietly and Lucy stared up to the ice mage.

"Alright so what is it?" she said while she too folded her arms. Her weight shifted until most of it leaned towards one side. The air got cold as Gray thought carefully.

He shifted his eyes to the girl, "The guild master is coming here tomorrow, Lucy"

She blinked and suddenly looked nervous, "H-He is?" she said quickly. Her eyes started to dart behind her, "But...Natsu.."

Gray shook his head, "That's what i needed to talk to you about"

"About Natsu?"

Gray moved a hand onto her shoulder "You have to keep him in line, Lucy. The other wizard saints are coming as well"

Lucy gasped and moved his hand away, "What for?" she spoke a bit too loudly and her eyes shifted back to the ground. "Why?" she said quieter.

The ice mage leaned in closer to her, "They're coming here to end this nightmare once and for all. To make sure this world is safe again" he didn't want to say too much, knowing the demon can probably hear everything.

Lucy swallowed heavily and she looked up towards Gray, "End things? What's going on?"

Gray sighed again and moved away, "We're going to need you the most Lucy. This whole thing depends on you" he walked into the guild without another word. Lucy stood there, face expressionless. Was only moments and Natsu was behind her again. His hand touched her shoulder and Lucy snapped her gaze towards him.

"Everything alright, Lucy?" he said quietly as he pulled her into his arms. His eyes glared towards the guild. He has heard everything.

Lucy shook her head, "I'm scared, Natsu"

"Don't be. Everything will be okay" he murmured. He kissed the top of her head and pulled her towards a small tent he set up in the woods while they were talking. Holding her hand gently, he let her inside the tent first and she laid down. Natsu moved in behind her, holding her close to his chest, "Get some sleep, Luce" She nodded and they fell asleep minutes later without another word.

* * *

 **Preview for next time!**

* * *

 _*~"...You're not going to take him away are you? This will be his chance to make a new life. To be someone he couldn't be before" Lucy clung to him tightly. Makarov sighed, "That's not up to me to decide, Lucy. It's up to everyone else. He destroyed the council, every last one of them. With their last request, they asked the wizard saints to look over the magic society until a new order has been made. I can almost guarantee you they'll try to take him away..." ~*_

 **See you next time!  
**


	19. Chapter 18: Nowhere to Run

**AN: Here's to another chapter and well...*runs into hiding*  
**

 **Seriously though, enjoy the read and please feel free to leave a review when you're done!**

 ** **...AYE!****

 ***~Preview at the end!~***

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Sorrow Returns Ost(Extended)"**_

* * *

Natsu woke up at the crack of dawn. He sat up, stretching and then his eyes fell to the sleeping girl beside him. A warm feeling lit deep within his chest and felt himself smiling at her. Natsu started gently brushing the blonde strands of hair away from her face and then kissed the top of her head softly before leaving the tent quietly. He walked towards the water stream nearby, gathering sticks along the way. It took him an hour to fish them breakfast as the sun started to shine over the horizon.

If he had to be honest, he wanted to be far away from here as possible. He couldn't stand the idea of being around anyone, especially the mages of Fairy Tail. That devil slayer child irked him the most, wanting to get rid of him immediately but, for Lucy's sake, he buried the thought.

Natsu dropped the fish nearby the small campfire he made and peeked inside of the tent. Lucy was still curled up in the same position he left her. Crawling back inside, he heard her mutter his name again. His heart skipped and moved over next to her. He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand, waking her up.

"Natsu...?" she mumbled quietly. She rubbed her tired eyes and blinked a few times.

"Hey" he smiled down to her, "Brought us something to eat" He moved slightly away as the blonde stretched upwards.

"What time is it?" she yawned tiredly.

"Sun is just starting to rise" Sudden branches outside cracked, grabbing both of their attention. Natsu moved away and opened the tent to see two cats outside. One was blue and the other cat was white. The small white cat ran back and started watching from behind a rock.

"Happy! Behind you!" the white cat hissed. The small blue cat jumped and turned its head around slowly, dropping the fish from its paws. Lucy poked her head out of the tent and saw the strange blue cat.

"So cute..." she said quietly under her breath. Before Natsu could protest, Lucy moved out of the tent and towards the frightened blue cat who held up its paws.

"Don't hurt me! P-Please! I was just..."

Lucy laughed, "Oh my goodness! You can talk?!" She picked up the raw fish that Natsu caught and handed it over to the cat. The blonde moved her head towards the other and gestured to it to come over, "Here. I promise we won't hurt you guys" smiling towards it. Natsu frowned as he watched.

The blue cat looked over towards the other, scared and confused, "You won't hurt us?"

Lucy shook her head, "Why on earthland would i do that? Eat, There's plenty here. Natsu won't mind, right?" looking at him while raising an eyebrow.

Natsu sighed, "No"

Lucy pulled him out of his tent and handed him a fish to cook. While he did that, the celestial mage held up another fish towards the blue cat. It already downed one, "What's your name?" she spoke gently. The white cat started to move warily towards them.

"My name is Happy, over there is Charle!" the blue cat waved towards the other.

"I told him not to touch and take other people's belongings without permission" folding her small white cat arms, "Sorry for his rudeness. Happy you should apologize. You're lucky they aren't mad at you"

Lucy looked at the small blue cat who swallowed his food quickly, "I-I'm sorry" it spoke nervously, "I was just hungry and i smelled yummy fish..." it bowed towards Lucy and Natsu. The white cat sighed.

The celestial mage patted the small blue cat and it looked at her, "No worries. So where did you guys come from? Do you have a home?" Lucy started to eat the fish Natsu cooked.

The white cat looked at Happy and spoke, "We don't have a home. We travel"

"Aye! We've been wandering for years now. I think..." its voice trailed as the cat looked down. Its eyes filled with a bit of sadness.

"Well you can stay here if you want" Lucy spoke. Suddenly watching from the corner of her eye, Natsu was glaring at her. Lucy waved him off and stared at the blue cat.

"We don't want to impose on you guys. I'm sure you guys have your hands full as it is with this town. It's a shame what happened to it" Charle spoke quietly.

Lucy looked over to Natsu, his eyes suddenly looked away, mumbling under his breath, "I don't care what you guys choose to do. It's up to Luce"

The blonde shook her head, "Feel free to stay as long as you like" Happy suddenly perked up and flew into Lucy's arms. She blinked a few times at his large white wings, "You can fly?!"

"Aye! Thank you so much!" It said cheerily. Charle sighed and nodded as thanks towards Lucy.

"I'm Lucy by the way" the blonde spoke and then pointed to the pink-haired demon, "That's Natsu. Just a word of advice, He's not a people person."

Happy smiled up to her and then looked at Natsu, "Sorry about the fish.." the cat buried it's head into Lucy, still feeling afraid.

Natsu stared and huffed, "Don't worry about it, Lucy needed to go on a diet anyway" slowly revealing a devilish grin towards her. Lucy felt her skin boil underneath, glowering towards the demon. Happy snickered before it fell into a fit of laughs.

"Oh, i see where this is going" Lucy huffed and stood up.

Natsu cackled and got up quickly. He started to run as Lucy chased after him.

Charle walked over to Happy, "They sure are a strange couple aren't they?"

Happy wiped its laughing tears away, "They liiiike each other" grinning towards the couple. Lucy tripped over a rock and Natsu stopped to catch her quickly. He fell onto his back, losing his balance from the girl who fell over him. The blonde lifted her head up from his chest and grimaced.

"Sorry" She tried to get herself up but, Natsu pulled her back down. Lucy blinked a few times as he cupped her face gently. He stared into her eyes, watching her face change into a bright pink, "Is something wrong?" she spoke nervously. Her heart rate was picking up until she noticed the blue cat looking at them.

The blue cat stifled a laugh, "Are you guys together?"

Lucy's eyes narrowed and picked herself off of Natsu. He let her go and she helped him up, "No...Not really" averting her gaze. Natsu brushed the back of his head lightly, getting the dirt out.

"I need to bathe, badly" Lucy grumbled loudly. She eyed the small lake nearby because the guilds facilities are still unavailable. Picking her bag off the ground in front of the tent, she saw Natsu putting out the small campfire. Lucy watched as the flames disappeared from a wave of his hand. She didn't realize she was staring when Happy tugged at her leg.

"There's a lake secluded down there" pointing to the south side of the forest, "That's where me and Charle came from" Lucy nodded and patted the blue cat. It purred and that got Natsu's attention slightly.

"Oi, don't get so familiar with her, Happy" he grumbled. Happy squealed and ran off with Charle towards the guild.

Lucy stood up and rolled her eyes at Natsu, "Tell me you didn't just get jealous about a cat, Natsu" She started walking towards the direction Happy told her about. Natsu followed.

"No. I just don't want you to get attached to something that can disappear without warning. You heard them, they travel" Natsu was behind her and she turned around.

"Don't worry about it. By the way, Why are you following me? I said I'm taking a bath. I don't need you to watch" she huffed, pink still left on her cheeks.

Natsu chuckled and tilted her face towards him, "I can just wash your back, i don't have to see anything" sticking his tongue out at her.

Lucy flustered and smacked him away playfully, "Thanks but no."

He leaned in closer to her face, "Come on, I promise i won't do anything." She stared at him, feeling her heart race. She quickly turned away and stomped off.

"Wait until i get in the water at least then" she grumbled, walking faster than she should've. He smiled and followed after her slowly.

* * *

Mira ran over towards the back rooms quickly. Holding the lacrima tightly in her hands, she saw Erza, Gray and Laxus sitting at a large table. In the corner, there was Gajeel folding his arms and eyes closed. His long black-spiked hair was pressed behind him. There was also a small black cat who sat beside the iron dragon slayer. He too had his eyes closed with a small red sword tied onto its back.

"Gajeel, i haven't seen you in awhile" Mira spoke as she caught her breath.

"Been busy" he spoke gruffly, "When is Jellal getting here? The old crones will be here soon" He opened his eyes revealing the piercing red gaze that looked towards the lacrima in Mira's hand. Wendy ran in the room shortly after. Her eyes darted to the other dragonslayer.

"Mira, did Master contact you yet?" Wendy spoke quickly as she sat in an empty chair by the table.

Mira shook her head, "i just got done talking to him. He'll be here within the hour. Has anyone heard from Lucy?"

Gray was leaning on his elbow that was holding his head up, "No, although, i wouldn't be surprised if he didn't try running off with her already."

Gajeel looked at the raven-haired boy, "Who are we talking about here?"

Erza looked towards the dragonslayer, "Lucy joined our guild about a month ago. However, it wasn't too long after stuff happened with her and to Magnolia as well. Have you not heard of the situation?"

Gajeel huffed, "Only bits and pieces from the old man. I only focused on what i was told to do, My mission and then gather the saints together. So what's this i'm hearing about with the Zeref demons. Are they as tough as they say?" grinning widely and eyes narrowing down to the scarlet mage.

Erza frowned and closed her eyes, "Honestly, it's hard to say. Why don't you ask the Tartaros guild leader yourself when he gets back with Lucy"

Gajeel's face fell, "What?"

The black cat opened his eyes, "There's someone coming" it spoke roughly, eyeing the doorway. Two smaller cats peeked into the room.

Happy flew in and looked down at the crowd, "I knew i smelled another cat. Charle come look!" the white cat poked her head in.

Everyone blinked a few times and Erza stood up, "Who are you?" she spoke curiously. The blue cat flew behind the small girl. Charle looked up towards the small dragonslayer that had happy behind her.

"I'm Happy..." the blue cat spoke and then looked down towards the white cat, "...and that's Charle"

Wendy stared at the white cat and smiled, "So cute!" picking up the white cat. Charle blinked a few times, left speechless as she was suddenly hugged by the blue-haired girl.

Erza shook her head and looked back to Gajeel, "Lucy is...rather close to Tartaros's guild master, END. It's the reason everything is as it is. We're waiting for them to arrive as well as our guild master so we can get started on the plan" Happy flew in the air and looked at Erza.

"Lucy?" Happy spoke as it got everyone's attention.

Gray looked up towards the flying cat, "You know her?"

"AYE! Lucy was going to take a bath with Natsu!" stifling a giggle between its paws. Gray paled as well as Erza. Mira and Wendy turned red and Gajeel scoffed.

"Bit too early to be hearing that" rolling his eyes, "Let me know when the old man arrives" Laxus nodded his head in agreement and walked out of the room with the iron dragon slayer.

The room fell silent and Happy cleared his tiny throat, "Did i say something wrong?"

Erza spoke quickly first, "N-no...it's just uhm...Excuse me" she walked out quickly. Wendy shortly followed with the white cat still in her arms. Gray sighed.

"That flame-brain would try to push his luck wouldn't he?" gritting his teeth. Icy air started to emanate around him. Happy flew down in front of Gray.

"You don't like Natsu? He's shy but he's nice! He gave me fish!" Happy spoke as if he was trying to cheer up the ice mage. Mira sat down near Happy and Gray blinked at the cat with a confused expression twisted on his face.

"What else can you tell us, Happy" Mira spoke gently. The blue cat turned around and smiled towards the white-haired girl.

"He smiles a lot when he looks at Lucy. At first he looked really scary but, i think he was just nervous because he thought i was stealing his fish but, i wasn't!"

Gray shook his head, still confused, "That guy can smile? He's nice? Which Natsu are we talking about here? That demon is what destroyed this town, Happy. He isn't a nice person. He's only clinging to Lucy for his own personal purposes"

Happy blinked confused, "Natsu is a demon? He didn't look like one"

Mira shook her head at Gray and looked at the small cat. She gently petted it, "Don't worry about that grumpy boy there. Now go get Lucy and Natsu back here quickly. Okay?" she said with a small smile.

"Aye!" and Happy flew off quickly. As soon as he got out of sight, Mira whacked Gray in the back of his head.

"Oi! what was that for?" He yelled as he rubbed his head.

"Don't go speaking unnecessarily in front of them. If Happy is a friend to Lucy, then there's a chance that cat will repeat everything so, it'll be best to keep those thoughts to yourself before it causes trouble!" she huffed angrily. Gray paled and nodded.

"I'm just worried about her" Gray spoke irritably.

"What happened to Juvia, Gray?" Mira spoke while looking outside.

Gray didn't say anything. Cold air started to circle around him.

"Did something happen to her?" She spoke quieter. Gray glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

He got up and stood at the doorway, "I made her leave town before the fight happened. I promised her I'll be back when this is all over. I haven't forgotten her for one moment, Mira" and he walked out. Mira sighed and left the room as well.

* * *

Lucy found the lake not too long after walking. It was exactly where Happy said it was. The small lake had a gentle stream flowing in and out of it, leaving the water crisp and clean. Lucy quickly tore off her clothes before Natsu caught up if he hasn't already. She stepped into the waters and sunk herself until her bottom hit a rock. She sat and held her arms over herself.

Lucy was thankful the water was only a bit shallow, fogging over the necessary bits. Wasn't too long after she heard Natsu closing in on her. Her face felt hot, never in her life has she ever bathed with anyone. Not even Leo when she was small. She always insisted she'll be fine by herself. Lucy took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Listening to the gentle streams of flowing water and birds chirping in the distance. The water was just warm enough to keep from being cold, she honestly felt relaxed. Until she heard a small laugh behind her.

"What's so funny?" she grumbled, not turning her head.

"I never seen anyone undress so quickly. I wonder how much practice that took" snickering, he kneeled down near a rock behind her. Natsu sat there legs folded while he watched the girl slowly turn around. Her face was as red as a tomato. Possibly more-so.

"YOU PEEKED?!" her voice squeaked abnormally high.

Natsu leaned over, hands folded while he smiled widely, "Maybe. Maybe not" he choked back a laugh until Lucy threw water at him. Making sure the splash was big enough to make him duck away and not see anything.

"PERVERT!" Lucy yelled. Her arms dropped and she balled her fists tightly. Lucy blinked a few times wondering why Natsu was suddenly flushed as he stared at her. She looked down and realized she was standing, "KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!"

...

Lucy ignored Natsu's apologies. To be honest, She knew it was her own fault but, he could've had the decency to look away. She stomped away from him after she finished getting dressed.

Suddenly Happy flew in front of them and Lucy stopped in her tracks. Natsu looked at the blue cat skeptically, "Lucy! A white-haired lady wanted to speak to you!" Happy spoke and flew onto her head. The blonde turned to look at Natsu who was looking down at her. The amusement was gone from his face.

"You met with the guild already? Did she tell you anything else?" Lucy questioned as she continued to walk towards the guild.

"Nope! I just came to relay the message. They're all so weird! Weirder than you Lucy!"

The blonde huffed, "I'm not as weird as a talking cat!" she retorted.

Natsu remained quiet, suddenly feeling on edge. Something was going to happen, especially after the conversation he heard with Gray and Lucy last night. For now, he was going to stay on guard, watching everything.

When they arrived towards the guild, Happy, Lucy and Natsu were greeted by the usual crowd. The only new faces Lucy saw was the two men standing by Mira and Erza. One had short blue-hair and brown eyes. A red strange tattoo lingered over his right eye. He started whispering towards Erza. The other guy had iron piercings around his face and black spiky hair. There was also a black cat standing beside him too, looking just as scary.

Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand and she stopped to look at him. The pink-haired demon growled under his breath, eyeing the blue-haired man. Erza nudged the man to speak.

"Hello there, Lucy. I'm Jellal, a friend of Fairy Tail" Lucy was confused by his tone, as if he was wary of her. Natsu glared at him furiously, pulling Lucy tightly closer to himself. It made the girl feel more nervous than she should've been.

The iron dragonslayer narrowed his gaze towards the demon, "This is END? Doesn't look tough to me. Probably just over-exaggerated" speaking bluntly.

Natsu hissed at him for uttering his name and his eyes turned into slits after being insulted. Lucy elbowed him gently, "Ignore him Natsu"

"I should kill you where you stand, Iron-face" Natsu snarled under his breath.

"Natsu!" Lucy raised her voice and the small golden flames flickered off of her shoulders, threatening the demon. Natsu grumbled and looked away from the group.

Jellal was speechless. Not only was it true that the girl has the legendary flames he only read about in books but, taming the fearsome creature that terrorized the cities for centuries. "Are you really that END?" he whispered quietly. Natsu's eyes narrowed to the blue-haired man, curling his lips back slightly.

His canines showed under the faint sunlight, "Don't speak my name so freely, Jellal. I know who you are" he hissed. Lucy elbowed him again, harder, making Natsu yelp under his breath, "Lucy, damn it"

"Be nice!" she retorted. The celestial mage looked back towards them, "What's going on anyway? Where's the guild master?" Jellal turned his gaze towards Erza and then moved closer to Lucy. Natsu hissed louder, warning him not to get any closer.

Wendy peeked from the side of the guild and Charle was standing at her feet. Happy was sitting next to Lucy, looking up at her curiously.

"The Guild master will be here shortly. Lucy, do you know what's going on at the moment?" Jellal spoke as he watched Natsu's face suddenly have scales appear. Everyone stepped back from them except Laxus and Gajeel.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Ankoku no Madoushi Ost (extended)"**_

* * *

"So the demon is showing his true colors after all, Gihi" he slammed his fists together, "Listen up, Lizard face. The wizard saints are coming here and your little buddies already bit the dust. Your cube Tartaros? Our friend Warrod smashed that place to bits. No more restoration for you. Once you're toast..." He points towards the ground, "That's where you'll be going next."

Lucy felt herself shrink back into him. Her eyes darted to the claws that were now stretched across her arms. She tilted her head up to see Natsu, who was almost completely demon-looking again. Her heart was beating nervously and Gray spoke to her, "Lucy. Don't think poorly of us. We're doing this for your sake and for the rest of this continent" he moved his hand out towards her and sudden red flames sparked out towards him.

Gray dropped his hand to the ground, shooting a sheet of pink ice towards the incoming flames. The dark fire snuffed out in the blink of an eye. Lucy started to tremble as Natsu's grip on her tightened.

"What's going on you guys? I don't..." she trembled and Natsu cut her off without looking.

"So, this is what you guys have been planning? Summoning the wizard saints to take me down. How pathetic" he hissed angrily. He opened his wings, flapping them strongly as it picked them up off the ground.

Laxus and Gajeel watched them carefully as Lucy was held by Natsu in the air. They didn't move, no one did.

It was then when everything happened. Large rocks shot up from the ground underneath the flying couple. Huge branches of wood shot towards them as well. Lucy screamed and Natsu flew them higher. Jellal yelled towards the crowd, "Don't let them get away! Rescue Lucy, NOW!"

Erza equipped her Flame Empress armor and flew towards them. Gliding, she flicked her sword at them and a pulse of fire shot out. Lucy covered her face and Natsu crushed the flames immediately. Only seconds later he realized Erza only used it for a distraction. Behind them Gray shot up into the air, "Devil Ice make: Closure!" he yelled as he clapped his hands together, clasping tightly after. A large dome of pink ice started to enclose on them.

"Lucy, Use your flames, Now!" Natsu yelled between his teeth. Without thinking, she nodded. Lucy moved her hand out in front of her and golden flames flickered off her, right when the ice enclosed on them. Gray watched as the other Wizard saints started to close in. Warrod and Jura were in the front, holding their hands out, ready for their next signal. Makarov, Serena, Wolfheim and Draculos came in slowly behind. Serena's face was filled with amusement, as sparks of light started to flicker off of him. Draculos stared at the pink ice ball, unamused.

"Called all the way out here to clean up a mess that black mage left behind. How intolerable" Wolfheim grumbled under his breath. Jellal turned to Makarov who stood behind them.

"Welcome back, Master" Jellal spoke quietly. The old man nodded to him and looked up.

"Where is Lucy?" he huffed realizing the blonde wasn't with them.

"In that i'm afraid." Jellal said until they all fell silent. The pink ice cracked and small shards fell. Lucy's golden flames shot out, engulfing the area around them. Erza and Gray jumped back towards the ground and Jellal ran over to the scarlet mage.

"STOP IT!" Lucy yelled, "No one move. Someone explain to me what is going on?!" she pleaded loudly. Her golden flames burned brightly around her and Natsu. The demon glowered towards the ground as everyone below stared up at them. Serena moved closer towards the front, smiling darkly at her.

"You're the girl everyone spoke about. The girl that tamed the beast. Unbelievable" he spoke loudly but, the words stung Lucy. It was making her skin crawl from the tone.

"What are you guys planning? Why is no one talking?" her voice was shaking and Natsu gripped her tighter. He kept his distance in the air, wanting to fly far away as possible.

"Girl, Let me propose to you a deal" the blonde wizard spoke sweetly. Lucy shivered and nodded to him, "You come down here like a good girl and give us the book. You know what I'm talking about and i promise nothing will happen to you"

Makarov moved over and looked up to the terrified blonde, "Lucy! We're here to help you" He spoke loudly, "We need you to help us, you're the only one who can"

Jura moved next to Serena as well as Warrod. Jura spoke first, "Listen to us, Lucy Heartfilla. We're not here to scare you. Come down and hand us the book"

Lucy fell into a daze. Everyone's words starting bouncing off of her except the voice that lingered in her mind.

' _You have a choice to make, Heartfilla. What you choose does not change the dark path that follows it. It doesn't end well to either side. The choice is yours to make_ '

The words continued to echo in her mind until Natsu spoke into her ear, "Lucy, What do you want me to do?" he murmured softly. "I can take us out of here right now, The choice is yours"

She blinked a few times as silent tears fell. Lucy moved her hand to touch his cheek. Natsu closed his eyes and nuzzled his head into it.

"Natsu..." she breathed shakily.

"What is it Lucy?" he spoke softly.

"Forgive me" and she allowed her flames to engulf him. His eyes shot open and they fell from the sky. He roared loudly in agony as the golden flames burned through him. Makarov stretched his arm out and caught the girl in time. Lucy shook him off and glared at them, pointing her finger at the group. "I want no part in this!"

Makarov frowned sadly at her, "I heard about the connection you had with him, Lucy. You're doing the right thing, i promise you"

Lucy shook her head, "I don't know about that" turning her head around. She felt herself swell with tears as she watch Natsu writhe in agony from her flames.

He stretched his arm out towards her, "LUCY! WHY!?" he yelled between his screams.

Happy ran towards Lucy crying, "What's going on, Lucy? i thought you liked him" Lucy fell over crying and held the blue cat tightly. "I do, Happy. I do" Gray ran to her side and placed a hand on her. Lucy shrugged him off making Gray step back.

"Look, You'll get over this. We're just making the world a safer place again" he said and then looked at the burning demon. Serena moved over and waved his hand over the golden flames.

"Such power this girl holds" Natsu hissed at him furiously before finally losing consciousness. "Let this demon be reborn" the blonde male spoke calmly.

Gray mumbled under his breath, "Is this even possible?" Lucy watched as Makarov stood by the ice mage.

"It's only a theory because it's never been performed before. Let's hope this works" Makarov walked over to the other saints that circled around the demon.

Erza kneeled down next to Lucy, "It'll be okay. I promise"

Lucy shook her head furiously, "None of this is okay. None of it, I feel like i've betrayed him!" she squeezed her eyes shut, "I can't watch this" she started crying heavily. Erza and Gray looked at her with worry while Laxus and Gajeel were watching just in case anything got by them.

The wizards started chanting loudly when a large magic circle opened underneath them. The air grew heavy and Lucy's golden flames didn't waver in the slightest. She poured her heart into those flames to put him down and shielding him from whatever they planned on doing, "What is it they're trying to do" she whispered. Lucy turned towards Happy, he too, was tearing still from the sight.

Erza looked at Gray as he spoke to Lucy, "They're going to suppress the demon powers residing in him. Sealing it away so the only thing that remains is his human side. The one you made yourself so familiar with" rolling his eyes.

Lucy felt the world fall silent as the magic pulsed around her. A bright light shot up from the ground and the light in the area grew dark. Two opposing forces crushing together as Natsu was left in the center of it. Her eyes stared at the the magic circle pulsing strongly under him when she took notice of the strange things happening. His demonic features were disappearing one at a time as a black book started to form over him.

Gray walked away quickly and Erza followed. Happy curled into Lucy, facing away from the sight. She started petting him gently as the words echoed in her ears. ' _Human side_ ' Lucy's eyes remained on Natsu, ' _Can he really be human again?_ ' her thought lingered for awhile. Another magic pulse waved through them. Lucy heard Natsu's heart beat in that one instance. Her eyes darted to each wizard saint around them. They all had their eyes closed as they were chanting. She then looked back down towards the pink-haired boy. His wings were gone, the horns were gone. His claws and scales were the last thing's to disappear. The black book floating over him was started to have words flow into it. She couldn't make it out but, then she saw her golden flames dimming down. The bright light shining down on him was getting thinner and Lucy held a hand to her face as more tears fell. Her heart was beating erratically as she watched them tear a part of him away. Lucy could've told him to run far away. She could've kept this from happening. However she didn't. She made a choice and she had to deal with it. The only thing Lucy prayed for at the moment, was that he would still be alive.

Another ten minutes passed and the magic circle disappeared under him. Lucy flicked her wrist towards Natsu and the golden flames grew stronger again. The saints backed away quickly and Serena only snickered as he grabbed the black book away.

Makarov didn't try stopping her, no one did. They all watched the heart-torn blonde kneel beside the boy.

"Natsu! Can you hear me?! Natsu!" she panicked between tears. Lucy kept her golden flames strongly around them so no one can approach, "Natsu, please wake up! I'm so sorry, So sorry" She cried loudly as she leaned her head and arms over him. Lucy didn't move and everyone crowded into a group except Makarov. He moved over towards the girl, a few inches from the flames. He kneeled down raising a hand towards her slowly.

"Lucy, He'll be okay" he whispered, "Natsu will wake up. I promise" Lucy turned her teary eyes towards him.

"You're not going to take him away are you? This will be his chance to make a new life. To be someone he couldn't be before" Lucy clung to him tightly.

Makarov sighed, "That's not up to me to decide, Lucy. It's up to everyone else. He destroyed the council, every last one of them. With their last request, they asked the wizard saints to look over the magic society until a new order has been made. I can almost guarantee you they'll try to take him away"

"No...No one is going to take him away from me" Golden flames flickered off of her strongly in all directions. Makarov jumped back quickly, feeling guilty as the group watched the scene.

Serena made his way over towards the girl, "What's the matter child? Are you not satisfied? You saved the continent with your choice" He held the book close to his face.

Lucy glared up at him, "Those eyes of yours say other wise" she spoke angrily, "You're going to leave him alone now aren't you? He can't even harm a fly now"

Serena laughed wickedly and Makarov watched with worry, "Oh but of course" He points the book at the girl. "You can keep him" and then he kneels down to her, "If he poses a threat to this world again, _we're_ putting him down permanently" he swished the book away from her and she watched it suddenly burst into piles of dust. Lucy felt herself pale and swallowed thickly. Serena waved at the group, "We're done here. Let's go, i believe we've wasted enough time here. Oh and Makarov..." he turned an icy glare towards the small old man, "...Do keep an eye on them" and the group of wizards walked away.

Lucy looked down to Natsu who started coughing. Sweat dripped from his face and Lucy immediately dropped her flames. She grabbed him quickly and placed his head onto her lap. Lucy brushed the pink locks away from his face, noticing the hair has gotten a shade brighter and felt his skin getting colder. She was beginning to wonder if his temperature was normal, knowing her body temperature was abnormally hot now.

She turned to Makarov, "Please help him. I helped you guys didn't i? she sobbed. "Please..."

Makarov nodded and called over Erza and Gray. The ice mage huffed under his breath as he picked up the pink-haired boy and carried him over his back. Erza and Lucy quickly went into the guild. Happy flew onto Lucy's head while everyone else followed.

Gajeel looked over to Laxus, "Tch, so much for a rematch huh?"

Laxus grumbled and turned around, "Not like we can do anything about it now" and then walked away from them.

"Where you going?" Gajeel yelled over to him.

"Away from this messed up place" he waved him away as he walked out.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Hisou Ost"**_

* * *

Lucy watched as Natsu was placed onto the infirmary bed. She honestly felt like she lived in this room. Always managed to get brought back here. She leaned over towards the boy who was still unconscious and Wendy ran over to her side. Happy and Charle sat by Lucy watching the whole thing. Gray walked out of the room and Erza sat in the corner. Makarov sat on the other side of Natsu. Lucy pulled up her bag and pulled out END's book. She still felt the warmth emanating from it. Everyone gasped except Makarov, who looked at her disapprovingly.

"That book still around?" he questioned towards her.

Lucy traced her fingers over the cover, "It seems so. I can still feel the heat coming from it" she mumbled.

The old man moved his hand out, "Let me see it" Lucy shook her head, "Why not, dear?"

"This book cannot be opened by people. It's what he told me" looking down at Natsu, "He said whoever opens it will burn from the inside out by black magic. Only Zeref can open it"

Makarov sighed and thought carefully, "Then what was _that_ book that came from him?"

Lucy shook her head, "I don't know" Her eyes flickered towards Natsu. Her heart skipped when she saw him opening his eyes. Makarov turned his head towards him and Lucy stood up. She hovered over him as she brushed his face with her fingertips.

"Natsu..." she breathed with a sigh of relief.

He looked up at her and frowned, "What..." he suddenly sat up and Lucy stepped back.

"Are...you okay?" she mumbled towards him, feeling slightly confused. Makarov and Erza watched carefully. Wendy stepped back away from them.

"Natsu.." Happy spoke quietly.

He shot his gaze towards Lucy, shaking his head, "I can't believe you" he breathed angrily. He stood up quickly and walked over towards her. Erza went to move towards them and Makarov stopped her. Holding a finger to his lips, Erza obeyed.

Natsu cornered Lucy into the wall, glaring down at her. Everyone watched silently, "Natsu...I'm sorry..." she breathed. For some reason she felt afraid. Not knowing what he's going to do next, she literally betrayed him. Lucy squeezed her eyes closed as her heart started to beat nervously.

"Lucy, Why...What'd they do to me...I feel so..." he clenched his jaw. Lucy opened her eyes as she moved her shaky hand over to his face and he shot her a glare. Pain and anger filled his voice, "I don't understand, Why..."

Lucy started to tear up, "Natsu, You're human now, Aren't you?" she breathed nervously. His fierce gaze pierced through her and Lucy felt her heart stop when he moved his arm up towards her.

He suddenly punches the wall beside her head. Natsu spoke barely audible, "I can't...right now after everything.." and walked off. Lucy paled and slid down to her knees. No one made a move to go after him. Lucy felt her whole world fading away as the room grew deathly silent. Happy moved towards the girl and curled onto her lap.

Lucy felt empty, felt like she lost the one person she ever loved.

* * *

 **Preview for next time!**

* * *

*~... _The boy continued to smile, "Soon, Lucy" he spoke. He moved towards her and Lucy froze as his empty black eyes burned through her, almost like Natsu's would. Lucy swallowed thickly as he stopped a foot from her. He touched her cheek and Lucy shivered from the dark magic radiating off of him, "Soon, This world will burn along with you in it. I promise..."_ ~*

 **See you next time!**


	20. Chapter 19: Forgive Me

**AN: AAHHH I can't believe it, over 100k words already!? Did i really write that much? oh my goodness (O.O") Rounds of applauses to everyone who made it this far \\(OuO)/  
**

 **So...about this chapter...I hope you have your tissue boxs ready because this is one of those chapters that actually made me tear-up a bit while writing, like literally.**

 **It took so much effort writing this without ruining the moments. If you managed to power through without a single tear then...well congratz to the hearts of steel. XD (there's always next time) :X**

 **Ok onto the reading, enjoy and let me know in a review or pm your thoughts on this chapter(^.^)/ And as always, thanks so much for the feedback and continued support for this story~!  
**

 ***Preview at the end!***

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Memories of Fairy Tail Ost"**_

* * *

Natsu has run off and no one in the guild has saw him since. Lucy looked around aimlessly for three days, barely eating and sleeping during the search. Happy clung to Lucy, hoping they'll find him soon. She knew he couldn't have made it that far but, where was he? Gray and Erza tried helping the first day but, then they continued to help fixing the guild the following day. Lucy felt lost and was stopping at nothing until she got him back.

The look in his eyes left her feeling nothing but twisted pain and guilt. Her heart sunk so low, it was starting to hurt. Hurting so much she didn't realize Happy was calling for her. She was in a daze standing outside of the guild. It was night again and she still hasn't found him. Her eyes lingered over the shallow water and was barely able to recognize herself. Her skin was a ghostly pale. Her blonde hair was dried out with dark circles under her eyes. Happy called her over again and Lucy didn't hear him.

"LUCY!" the cat flew to her feet and tugged at her. Nothing, "SOMEONE HELP! Lucy is in trouble!" Several faces came running out of the guild suddenly. Erza being the first one out.

"Happy, what's wrong with her?" the scarlet woman yelled. Gray followed behind shortly after.

"Oh god" he grumbled under his breath. He ran over and picked up the sickly girl, "What happened to her?" Erza ran over and helped her up with him.

"Some one get Wendy here immediately. My god what has this girl been up to, Happy?!" Erza called over as she grumbled angrily under her breath.

"Lucy has been running around everywhere looking for Natsu!" the cat spoke sadly, "She won't eat when i tried to give her fish. She kept saying she had to find him!"

Gray shot a glare towards the cat, "...and you haven't realized something was wrong with her until now? Lucy looks barely alive as it is"

The blue cat started to cry, "I'm still new around people! Charle is the only one that interacted with everyone" the cat sniffled.

Erza sighed, "It's alright, Happy. Let's get her to the infirmary quickly"

* * *

A whole day passed again and Lucy was barely regaining any color to her face. Wendy and Erza spent the entire day switching out vitamin pouches for her IV drip. The rest was up to Lucy to pull through. Happy clung to Lucy tightly and Charle stood by Wendy. The few moments they were together, they bonded rather quickly. Charle felt more like a mother hen watching after the small dragonslayer. Worried more about her than her own being.

There was a sudden golden light that shimmered in the room. Erza was already familiar with it. Wendy can smell the lion spirit before he even had to speak, "Took you long enough to get here, Loke" Erza spoke suddenly, "Where have you been? How have you not noticed her condition failing her?" Turning a glare towards the orange-haired male. He was still in the golden armor, he opened his eyes down towards them.

"I apologize, there are some things troubling the celestial world at the moment. I've tried to get back here as soon as possible" He moved over towards the bed and felt his chest tighten from the sight.

"She's stable. We just don't know when she'll wake up. Happy said she been going in and out of dazes" Wendy said quietly.

"Aye" the cat said weakly, "Lucy was weird but, she got weirder the minute Natsu ran off. I think she misses him. She kept saying his name while she was spacing out. I waved fish and my paws at her but, she didn't do anything!" Happy turned his small head towards the pale girl, "She looks better when she's smiling, looking happy when he was around. Lucy will wake up won't she?" A teary eye looked their way and Wendy sniffled.

"She'll wake up, i promise you Happy" Wendy sniffled.

"Have more faith in the girl, Happy. I thought i taught you better than that!" Charle huffed. However she too was pained to see a new friend in such a poor condition.

Leo balled his fists and closed his eyes, "I'll find him and when i do, I'm going to knock some sense into that idiot" he grumbled angrily. Small blue flames flickered off of him when Erza turned to look at him.

"I'd be glad to help you, Loke" she said as she started to walk towards the door.

"You can't" he said suddenly.

"...and why not? I still have things i wanted to say to that boy!" Erza said loudly, "I'm worried about Lucy just as much as everyone else is around here"

"You won't be able to teleport with me, Erza. I promise you can speak your peace after i find him. Keep an eye on her and call for me loudly if anything happens. I'll hear it" and without another word he faded into a bright light. Erza slammed a fist into the wall, arms were trembling with frustration.

"You better find that idiot" she grumbled under her breath.

Everyone's eyes shifted towards the girl in the bed who was mumbling again under her shaky breath.

"...Natsu...s...orry"

Happy turned his head towards the girl and pawed her cheek gently, "The lion will find him, Lucy!" and curled tighter into a ball against her.

* * *

Leo ran through the forest, picking up every trace of his scent that was left lingering. His eyes darted everywhere, intertwining the paths Lucy has walked through as well. He wanted to get out of the celestial world sooner but, something troubled him. The stars were crying. They were pleading to be saved. A disturbance he hasn't ever seen before. The celestial king was going to inform them later about the troubling stars but, hasn't said anything for two days. It must've been deeper than he realized.

The moment he got a chance to leave, he never expected to come back to see Lucy looking like that and again, it was because of _Him_. Leo growled angrily under his breath, tired of seeing Lucy put herself through so much pain because of that idiot. Leo didn't know whether or not to feel bad for her or decide to try and talk some sense into that girl. Either way, it didn't make him feel better and it sure as hell won't make her feel any better either.

Leo stopped in his tracks when he finally picked up something. He turned his gaze towards the small cave that was tucked into the hillside. It was quite a way from the guild.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Guren no lkari Ost(extended)"**_

* * *

He ran over to it and the boy's scent hit him strong. Leo recomposed himself and buried the anger he had boiling under his skin, he had to do this for Lucy. For his sake, this boy better give a valid explanation or he's going to pay, _dearly_. The lion spirit walked further into the cave, noticing a small fire flickering in the distance. He can barely make out the shadow that was laying by it, almost looking like it was sleeping. Leo stepped further in until suddenly tripping over a small wire. Rocks fell and Leo threw his fist into the air, smashing the rubble to bits. Of course, the boy woke up. His dark eyes glared over towards the spirit.

"Who goes there?' he yelled.

"I'm here to take you back, Idiot" Leo said angrily. Shoving the rocks off himself as he stepped over to Natsu.

"Get away from me" he hissed angrily. Leo stopped in front of him as Natsu moved back, holding a makeshift dagger in his palms.

"Have you really sunk this low, after the hell you've put everyone through? Going after the one girl you've been chasing for years and this is how you leave her?" Leo stomped over to him and grabbed Natsu by his shirt, holding him high in the air. Natsu huffed and grabbed onto Leo's wrists, attempting to shove him back but was failing.

"Let go of me you stupid cat" he managed to choke out. Leo threw him across to the wall. His back slammed and slid down, going into a coughing fit. The pink-haired boy glares up at Leo from under his long bangs, "She...She betrayed me" he grumbled lowly, "I can't do anything the way i am now"

Leo didn't say anything, instead he kneeled in front of the boy, watching him.

"I said get out of here, i don't need this now!"

Leo slammed a hand by his head, leaning in towards Natsu. The boy was shaking. From the looks of things, he too, looked like he barely ate and slept. Despite that, he was only going to worry about Lucy and Natsu later.

"You listen to me, stupid ex-demon" Leo said angrily, "Lucy has been looking for you for days. Hardly slept. Hardly ate. She is in a far worse condition than before and if you don't move your ass out of this cave to go see her, I will make your days a living hell. Trust me"

Natsu sighed and shoved himself away, "I don't care so, it doesn't concern me" he said quietly under his breath.

Leo suddenly felt outraged and kicked him across the cave. Natsu slid painfully on the ground, scrapping his hands and legs. He coughed and wheezed as tried to slowly get back up.

"You don't care!? Now i know you're lying!" Leo hissed. "I saw the way you looked at her, the one time i did see it. You better be joking or I'm going to beat your sorry ass" he yelled furiously.

Natsu started laughing hysterically, "and if i wasn't? What're you going to do about it? Kill me? Be my guest" He barely got himself up and turned to look at the outraged spirit. Leo stomped over to him, picking him by the shirt again and slammed the boy against the wall. The spirit held Natsu against the rocks with his arm,

"You boy, are digging yourself an early grave" Slamming him on the wall again. Natsu's head smacked into the sharp rock behind, cutting his head slightly. His vision was beginning to blur as his body started to weaken.

Natsu held a hand onto the man's wrist weakly, "Is this..." he spoke quietly under his panting breath, "...love? Is this what she wanted from me?" Leo opened his eyes slightly and dropped him. Natsu fell to the ground, coughing yet again.

"What do you mean? Speak up!" Leo spoke quickly.

Natsu didn't move, he kept his head low, "That feeling when...you trust someone" he said quietly, "Trust someone with your life...and they just hand it over like it means nothing" he finished and coughed again. Leo clenched his jaw then picked up Natsu and placed him onto his shoulder. Feeling bitter, he was going to help Natsu first before Lucy gets even more hysterical.

"What are you doing, cat?" Natsu spoke under his wheezing.

"Doing this for Lucy's sake, idiot" he grumbled. He disappeared into a bright light with Natsu in his arms.

* * *

Erza sat by Lucy while Wendy took a short, well-deserved nap. The small dragonslayer exhausted her healing magics yet again. Charle was quite cross about it and forced the girl to rest. Gray walked into the room without making a sound, "How's she doing?" he said quietly as he leaned onto the wall across from them.

"I'm not sure. It's been a few hours since Wendy fell asleep. Has Loke come back yet?" Erza said quietly. Happy was in a chair chewing on a raw fish.

Gray grumbled, "Is he really bringing back that pink menace? That's the last thing we need here..." crossing his arms with a huff.

A bright light flashed into the room, startling everyone. Wendy rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"NATSU!" Happy said loudly and jumped into the air to fly over to them. Leo dropped the boy quickly onto the bed and started to grab some bandages.

"Speak of the devil" Gray grumbled while narrowing his eyes to them.

Wendy rushed over to his side and Erza stood up - glowering at them, "Where did you find him?" She spoke barely masking her temper.

"Don't ask" Leo spoke bitterly. He still didn't want to help the boy but, he had no choice. His eyes darted towards the pale blonde in the bed beside them, "How is she doing?" he said quickly while wiping the dirt and grime off of Natsu. The boy huffed as he tried to sit up but, Leo pushed him right back down, "Don't move"

Natsu huffed, glaring towards the people who had their eyes on him, "Fantastic, the whole crew is here" he grumbled.

"Wendy, don't strain yourself any more than you have!" Charle flew over towards the small dragonslayer.

"I have to help him a bit Charle! He's hurt too" her eyes flickered and bit her bottom lip. She was nervous about helping him, especially still remembering what he did to her. Wendy held her wrist tightly towards herself and Natsu looked up at her, watching her expression.

"Don't bother" he mumbled and Leo smacked him across the head, "Haven't you hit me enough already?" he growled towards the spirit.

"Not enough apparently" Leo retorted, "Wendy do what you can" Leo moved quickly over to Lucy's side and kneeled down next to her. He held the girl's sickly hand in his palms as Natsu watched. He tilted his head towards them, feeling sharp pains in his chest from the sight. Her skin was almost translucent, her hair was no longer shining. Lucy had sweat dripping down her neck and her breathing was completely staggered. Natsu couldn't take his eyes off of her. He never saw her like this before and it was killing him slowly inside.

"This isn't what i wanted" he breathed.

All eyes fell onto him and Gray moved between the two beds. Arms still tightly crossed as he glared down at the pink-haired boy, "You should've thought about that before running off to god knows where, idiot" Gray said loudly, "Why did you leave Lucy alone in the first place after giving us hell to even get her. I should beat your ass down because no one else can do this to her except you"

Gray was starting to radiate cold air, freezing the room slightly. Leo watched the small exchange as he held onto Lucy carefully. Natsu turned his head away from him, "Listen to me you stupid demon, I don't care what sorry hell you were raised in. I don't care what your reasoning was, if you honestly cared for this girl like she claims you do. Prove it instead of putting her through your hell continuously. I should've kicked your ass while i had the chance but, You're not even worth my time anymore..." Gray pointed his pink ice sword towards him. Erza jumped up and stood between the boys.

"That's enough, Gray" Erza spoke, "I think you've made your point" her eyes darted down to the pink-haired boy. His face was pinched and his eyelids hung low. Natsu didn't say anything as he continued to breathe heavily through his nose. Wendy walked back towards Lucy and sat in the empty chair.

"I did what i could to fix the open wounds" she mumbled nervously, breaking the tense silence.

Gray threw the sword over the bed and it shattered at the wall, "I can't look at him anymore..." and he stomped out of the room.

Erza shook her head, slowly raising one hand to hold it in place, "I know exactly how Gray feels right now but" Her eyes fell onto Natsu who was still ignoring their presence, "You better think twice before you do something so careless again. If you value your life..." she spoke in a low tone. Erza raised a sword that came out of no where and pointed it towards the ex-demon, "...Or start praying to whoever it is you pray to" and she walked out of the room without another word. Leo chuckled quietly, snapping Natsu's attention towards him.

Natsu grumbled under his breath, "Glad this is entertaining you, Cat" he folded his arms, suddenly feeling a throbbing pain shoot through. He yelped and held his arms close to himself, "I hate this, all of it"

Leo stood up and sat on the other side of Lucy's bed. Hands folded and legs crossed, watching the boy in pain, "Hate what? Being human? or being stuck here again?"

Natsu shot him a nasty glare, "Both" he spoke between his teeth, "If i didn't listen to her and have followed my own instincts, i wouldn't be in any of this mess" he hissed and turned his back away from him.

Leo placed a hand under his chin, "Is that really how you feel?" he said quietly.

Natsu didn't say anything. Leo turned his gaze towards the blonde, "She missed you, you know. Every time this girl cries, i can hear it loudly through the stars. Those stars cry along with her. Every time this girl is in pain, i feel it and want nothing more than to take it away. Every time she smiles, there's nothing i want more than to protect and keep that smile on her face. Don't you?" speaking lower.

Natsu listened carefully but didn't say anything, "I know you feel the same way. It's a type of love. Maybe you're not IN love with her but, you love her to an extent. I see it in the eyes every time you look at her. Every time you're with her, she smiles from the inside out. When you've hurt her, it was like watching the girl suddenly fall apart. You mean more to her than you realize, Natsu" Leo got up and walked towards the door, "Don't make me regret giving you this advice. I won't be helping you again" he slammed the door behind him as the room fell in silence.

It felt like hours passed. The room remained quiet and no one has walked back in. Wendy left with Charle and Happy to eat. Lucy was still sleeping when Natsu finally sat up to look at her. He moved out of his bed and kneeled down beside her, touching her left arm gently. Brushing his fingers across her pale flesh lightly. He felt like if he put any more pressure towards it, it'll shatter. ' _Lucy_ ' he thought carefully, ' _If i knew this was going to happen to you..._ ' he squeezed his eyes shut, gritting his teeth harshly, _'I really am an idiot, aren't i..._ " he sighed heavily. ' _I just wish things could've been different. I wish i can take you away from here. I can't now and i don't even know what to do. I can't even say i feel relaxed and safe. I can't say i can protect you. I'm helpless...I'm..._ ' her arm twitched. He opened his eyes and moved over her, "Lucy..." he breathed. He watched her eyes twitch, "Lucy..." he moved his hand over towards her face, brushing the small strands away from her face, "I'm sorry, i shouldn't have left..." he felt his throat tightening, feeling something inside wanting to pour out. His chest was starting to feel like it'll burst and a small silent tear fell down his cheek, "Lucy, please wake up" he leaned his head onto hers, Listening to her staggering breathing, "Lucy...I said i'm sorry. I won't leave you again, i promise. I promise I'll never hurt you again...I'll protect you and that smile. Please..." another tear fell down. Ignoring this unusual pain in his chest, he felt another twitch under his palm.

"...Natsu.." the girl breathed. Her eyes didn't open though.

"Lucy...wake up.." his eyes were darting across her face. He quickly moved towards the water bowl and picked up the small rag. He started to clean the sweat from her face.

"...Natsu...don't...hate...me" she breathed barely above a whisper. Natsu's heart stopped and he dropped the cloth. He watched as the girl silently cried under him. "Natsu...I'm sorry...I'm sorry" she breathed again. It seems she was still lost in a dream or a nightmare. Natsu fell over her, holding her tightly in his arms.

"I'm here Lucy. I'm here, I won't, I can't ever hate you. Please wake up..." he felt his chest heave again and more tears fell from his face. Natsu didn't realize anyone was around, Leo watched carefully through the open door.

* * *

Leo closed the door again and walked away. Everyone's eyes were on him when he shook his head, "She still isn't up yet" he said quietly. Gray was sitting at a table far from the door.

"...what about the pathetic excuse in there with her?" Gray grumbled.

"He's...doing what he should be doing" Leo felt the corner of his lip twitch upwards. He stood by the door to make sure no one else could walk in. If anything happens with Lucy, he'll hear it.

Erza darted her eyes over towards the guild master. The old man was quietly sitting on the bar that has just finished its repairs. Mira was sweeping the nearby area without a word either.

"So what now?" Gray said while leaning onto the table, head propped onto his arms. Gajeel was leaning against the column while Panther Lily was talking to the other two cats.

"How long is that ex going to be groveling in there?" he spoke loudly. Gray looked up towards him.

"Groveling?" the ice mage said with confusion.

Leo snickered over towards the iron dragonslayer, "Yeah, the pink lizard is groveling on his knees as we speak. I would've had more amusement from this but..." his face fell, "I too wish Lucy will wake up" he said quietly. Gajeel huffed and walked out of the room. Wendy was helping Mira clean up and Makarov hopped off the bar towards them.

"Let me in Leo" the guild master spoke suddenly.

The lion spirit darted his eyes down towards him, "As you wish" he said while nodding and let him pass through.

* * *

Natsu was leaning onto the bed when his ears picked up the door opening loudly. He didn't move up though, he only listened as small footsteps were made into the room. He huffed silently to himself, wondering what else these fairies can jab him with. When his eyes looked at the small old man, he growled quietly and sat up, "What is it?" he spoke a little bit too loudly. His eyes remained on Lucy while Makarov took a chair beside them.

"I'm here to talk to you, boy" folding his arms as he looked at Lucy as well.

"I've got nothing to say, you guys won. When will i ever get some peace around here.." Natsu spoke bitterly.

Makarov glared towards the pink-haired boy and leaned forward, "There was no winning or losing, brat. Everyone made a choice, including you. You knew deep down what you wanted and you've got it. What happens now is still entirely up to you" he spoke sternly. Natsu looked down towards the small man.

"Tch.." he huffed and looked away again, "My choice?" he grumbled angrily, "Lucy made that choice for me" Makarov stood on the chair, arms tightly crossed.

"No she didn't" he said loudly, "You made the choice long before she did anything"

Natsu turned his gaze back towards the guild master, "...and what choice was that?" he hissed. Curious about what's going through the old man's head.

"You could've killed every last one of us the moment you woke up, the moment you knew she was in your hands, but you didn't. You stopped what ever it is you were doing for her sake, Dragneel"

Natsu stiffened as his hand balled into a fist.

"I'm curious, however. Why is it you have decided to play the protector when you could've just done what you wanted. What is it you're protecting so dearly, boy? You stayed here when you could've up and left with her against her wishes like before. What changed?" The old man sat back down, waiting for an answer.

Natsu sighed heavily and looked down to her, Lucy's face was still ghostly pale and his fingers brushed against her cheek, "I wanted to see her smile. Smiling only for me" he said quietly, "I've realized it in that moment when i first saw it. I've wanted nothing more than to keep that smile on her. The small star that lit up my night sky. The sky i never knew that can be so bright because of her" he finished and didn't say anything more. Makarov sighed and started to walk out of the room.

"Do you regret your decisions now, boy?" the guild master didn't turn around.

"No" he whispered while continuing to brush her cheek. The old man glanced at him and left the room. Leo opened the door and closed it moments after.

Leo looked down to the old man as he walked away. He too can understand Natsu's intentions, whether he liked it or not and despite their different reasoning's. The one thing remained the same between them. ' _I guess i can't hate you entirely, now can i, Natsu_ ' Leo laughed bitterly to himself. Wendy looked up to him curiously.

"What happened Leo?" she said quietly while fiddling with her fingers nervously.

"Nothing. Do you want to come in to check on Lucy?" he smiled down at her gently. The girl nodded and he let her in. Leo took one more glance over towards the boy who was still hovering over Lucy. He saw the pained expression lingering on his face, the same expression he had when he saw Lucy in pain. ' _You're the only one who can look after her when i cannot, Natsu_ " and he closed the door.

* * *

Wendy walked over slowly towards the bed, keeping her head low. Natsu watched her carefully when she got close. The small dragonslayer changed the IV drip quietly and then sat by Lucy. Her small hands hovered over the girl while a green light started to glow. The pink-haired boy leaned his head down as he closed his eyes, focusing entirely on Lucy's heartbeat.

"I may have known Miss Lucy a little while but, I know she'll wake up soon. She's strong like that" Wendy spoke quietly. Natsu opened one eye towards her. Wendy sighed and spoke again, "I never saw her try so hard to protect something before. I think she just exhausted herself to the limit, causing her to collapse. I think she cares a lot about us but, Miss Lucy cares about you the most. You mean a lot to her" she mumbled nervously, "So she tried her best for you, even if it meant she was going against Fairy Tail. She made a choice not because she was betraying you but, because she didn't want to see anyone hurt anymore. I watched when she cried, she cried so much i started to feel it in the air and i cried with her" Her green glow faded and Wendy got up. She smiled lightly towards Natsu, "She probably won't forgive herself until she knows you're okay" Wendy nodded towards him and quickly walked out.

Natsu looked back towards the blonde and sighed, "I never blamed her, i blamed myself. She shouldn't need my forgiveness" he mumbled quietly. He brushed the back of his hand against her face, watching her twitch again from his touch. He leaned over her, pressing his head onto her forehead, their noses barely touching, "If you want to hear it so badly" he whispered softly, "then i forgive you, Lucy. It was never your fault okay?" he tilted his head to kiss her gently. Another tear fell down his face as he moved away. He sighed heavily and sat back, "Just wake up already, you're starting to scare me Luce" he mumbled.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Zeref's Melancholy(extended)"**_

* * *

Lucy was trapped in a dark room. No sound could be heard, no one else was around. It was nothing but pitch darkness. The celestial mage was curled tightly into a ball, rocking herself slowly. Tears were long dried up knowing it wasn't going to make this go away. Every once in a while Natsu's pained expression flashed in her eyes, making her clutch her head closer towards herself. '"I'm sorry _"_ she breathed heavily, "I'm sorry, please come back, Natsu" The room echoed her pleas and cries, driving the girl to hysteria. The room grew louder with her sorry apologies and Lucy started to scream, "Make it stop!" she yelled. The room continued to echo, repeating every word she said. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut as the noise was driving her mad.

She slammed her hands down as she tried to get up but couldn't feel anything beneath her. She opened her eyes and realized she was floating. There was a small light below, twinkling up at her. Her eyes fell to it and tried to reach out. Suddenly falling, she tried stretching her arms up to grab something but, there was nothing. The light grew brighter the faster she fell. Even though she felt herself screaming, no sound was being made, not even the echos.

Lucy wheezed heavily when she finally hit the ground. She got up slowly, feeling her arms trying to give out on her. Lucy was trembling as she opened her eyes carefully, holding a hand over her face to block some of the bright light in the room. Being in the dark space for too long messed up her eyes. Squinting she couldn't see anything.

' _Lucy, Wake up, please_ ' a familiar voice echoed in the distance. Lucy shook her head and looked around, there was no one.

' _Wake up, Luce_ ' the voice said again.

"Natsu? Where are you?" she yelled. Lucy turned around continuously, unable to tell if she was going in circles. The room was so bright with a hint of warmth to it. The celestial mage sighed. The room fell silent again and she slid back down to her knees, "where am i?" she sighed heavily. Lucy laid back down and cushioned her face gently on the white floor. Small footsteps started to appear in the distance. Feeling like she was hallucinating, Lucy didn't bother getting up.

"Lucy, honey. Wake up" the person stopped in front of her and Lucy tilted her head up, "Everyone is waiting to meet you" the woman smiled down to her and the blonde suddenly felt like she was going to burst with tears.

"Mommy...? Mommy is that you?" she breathed feeling herself launch towards the woman. Layla grabbed the girl tightly into her arms as she brushed the hair on the girls back, "I've missed you so much, I missed you..." Lucy cried into her mother. Her body was trembling.

"I know, honey. I know. However, as much as i want to keep you here, You have to go back to your new family. Everyone wants to see you again" the woman looked down towards the girl, wiping the tears away with her thumb.

Lucy only moved away enough so she can look at her mother, "I have no one. They..."

"Hush now child. You have the biggest family anyone could ever wish for" she smiled down to her.

"I don't know...i did so many unforgivable things, i...i" she started sobbing, "Mom, you don't hate me?" feeling herself choke on the words.

"What? Heavens no, Lucy, Why would i hate you?" she cupped the girls cheek into her hand as she watched the tears swell in her daughter's brown eyes.

"I fell in love with him, mom. I fell in love with the demon that killed you. I watched the whole thing" Lucy fell over crying again, "...i love him mom and i betrayed him. He looked at me with so such pain and ran from me. I felt like he just gave up on me. I searched for days and i couldn't find him"

"Lucy..." she started to speak.

"How could i ever come back to them. How can i ask for forgiveness? I betrayed everyone. I betrayed you mom. I betrayed Fairy Tail and i betrayed him" Lucy continued to sob and Layla held her tighter. She leaned her head onto the girl as her body continued to shake from the sorrow-filled tears.

"No one is asking you for forgiveness. You should hear them out, they're all waiting. Including him" Lucy turned her head towards her mother who was still smiling at her.

"Why wouldn't they?" Lucy said between sobs, "I can't even forgive myself. How could they just not want to berate me?" Layla turned Lucy's head towards a now colored side of the room. People's faces all hovered around a sickly pale girl. Lucy stood up and walked over towards it, "Is that me?" Lucy whispered.

Layla walked behind her and held her shoulders gently, "Yes. It pains me to see you like that Lucy. Everyone is wishing their best to see you get better"

Lucy's eyes watched as the screen changed. A familiar head of pink hair was hovering over the pale girl. Lucy held a hand to her face as she watched the boy suddenly cry over her, "Lucy, wake up, Please...I never wanted to see you like this" His face was pained and he was crying. Natsu was crying for her. Lucy held her hand out to touch the image before it suddenly flickered away. Lucy turned her head around to see her mother smiling down to her, "So I'm not dead?" she breathed.

"No, honey. You fell into a catatonic state and passed out from a weakened body. What happens now is up to you" Layla started to fade.

"Mommy don't go, i need you!" Lucy ran towards her and before she can touch the woman again she disappeared.

"Lucy, I'm always here watching. What you need now isn't me but, him" The voice faded and the bright room fell silent.

Lucy turned her head around and saw a faded figure in the distance. She started walking towards it and watched as the figure moved away.

"Wait!" Lucy yelled and ran towards it. "Wait up, who are you?" Lucy stopped as the figure stopped moving. A boy with jet-black hair turned to her, smiling.

Lucy didn't move and held a hand to her chest. Something was off about him, "W-Who are you?" she breathed. "I don't remember..."

The boy continued to smile, "Soon, Lucy" he spoke. He moved towards her and Lucy froze as his empty black eyes burned through her, almost like Natsu's would. Lucy swallowed thickly as he stopped a foot from her. He touched her cheek and Lucy shivered from the dark magic radiating off of him, "Soon, This world will burn along with you in it. I promise" he said with a sickly sweet smile. The room suddenly got dark as the words echoed in her head.

"Lucy wake up! please! it's been almost a week now!" the voice yelled.

Lucy suddenly felt like she was being dropped again. She jolted upwards from the bed, only to see Natsu's eyes widen as he was staring down at her.

* * *

 **Now for the preview!**

* * *

 ***~** _...Lucy stopped in front of a painting that was still on the wall. Despite being covered in black ash, she can still vaguely make out the image. A small blonde girl smiling in the arms of her parents. Her dad was holding her while her mother was staring down at the smiling girl. Natsu's chest tightened, suddenly remembering the only painting he ever hung on his wall."I use to have a family too" he said quietly almost like a whisper... **~***_

 **See you next time!  
**


	21. Chapter 20: Home Again

**AN: ello everyone!,** ** **welcome back, h** ow was your labor day weekend?  
**

 **I didn't do much myself but...ill happily announce, more nalu fluffiness for a while again! ^.^ (as well as other happenings)... (X.X)/  
**

 **so without further ado, onto the chapter and as always, thank you so much for the support and shout outs to my current reviewers \\(^.^)/**

 ***~Preview at the end~***

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Kanashiki Kako Ost(extended)"**_

* * *

Natsu watched carefully as her foggy brown eyes looked up at him. The room suddenly fell silent around them and he leaned in towards Lucy. Without realizing it, he held her tightly into his arms. Never in his life has he felt so relieved, like the worlds burdens has left his shoulders in that instance. Natsu kissed the top of her head a few times and then brushed the hair away from her face, "Lucy, thank goodness you're alright" Holding her closely to him again.

Lucy felt a sharp pain in her chest, remembering the boy she saw in her mind. She wanted to believe it was just a hallucination but, with everything going wrong lately, she wouldn't doubt it. So for now Lucy buried the thought. She listened to Natsu's heart beating in her ear as he held her close to him. The same warmth was still buried there, his scent still clung strongly and Lucy started crying. She missed him so much, felt like her heart was ripped from herself the second he walked away. Lucy was tormented in her mind for hours with the possibilities and scenarios that has happened and could've happened. Natsu patted her head gently, hushing and murmuring to her that everything will be alright.

"I'm sorry, Natsu. I'm so sorry, i didn't want any of this, i swear i didn't know" she spoke between her quivering sobs. Natsu moved his hands, cupping both sides of her face. He tilted her head towards him, wiping the tears away with his thumbs.

"I never blamed you, Lucy. Don't apologize, everything is alright now" he said gently, "I'll say it a dozen times more if you want. I forgive you alright? Don't let me see that frown any longer. Smile for me, please" He leaned his head onto hers. Hushing her some more as she nodded slowly. She held her hand over his face gently and Natsu tilted his head into it. Kissing her palms then her cheek and lingered over her lips until someone came in the room behind them. He sighed and moved away from her slightly. He held her hand in his and sat down on the bed next to Lucy. Gray eyed them carefully.

"Lucy is awake" he yelled over. The ice mage's eyes fell back to the pink haired boy who was refusing to look at him, "How long was she up?" he said feeling slightly annoyed.

Lucy looked towards Natsu then at Gray, "I-I just woke up not that long ago" her voice sounded a bit strained. Natsu looked up at her and moved to grab her a glass of water. Lucy nodded to him as thanks and started to drink slowly while the room filled with people.

Wendy came running back in smiling, "Miss Lucy! You're alright! I'm so happy" She hugged Lucy gently and Erza smiled at them.

"Good to see you awake, again, Lucy" she nodded towards her. Lucy grimaced and sighed. Her face pinched slightly and Gray noticed.

"Something wrong, Lucy?" Natsu glanced up at Gray then towards Lucy.

He nudged her slightly, "What's wrong?" he said in a low whisper.

Lucy closed her eyes and spoke quietly, too quietly, "I think...I think i want to go home. Back to the Heartfilla Manor"

The room went silent from the words and Natsu stiffened entirely. Makarov came walking in slowly, eyeing the two in the bed. He cleared his throat, "Glad to have you back, Lucy" The blonde looked down towards him, "That place hasn't been touched for years dear. Is something there for you? We can have people take you there if you insist on going" he said gently.

Natsu dropped her hand and covered half of his face. Makarov looked at the boy, studying his changing expressions, "Something bothering you, Natsu?"

Gray scoffed, "Who cares" he grumbled under his breath. Erza gave him a small glare and the ice mage froze.

"It's...nothing.." Natsu said quietly. Lucy touched his shoulder, "I just want to visit mother's grave. There's also a possibility something was left there too" the blonde said quietly, "I just want it to be me and Natsu. I don't need anyone else for now"

Gray moved over towards the bed, "I don't approve of this Lucy. At least take someone else with you"

"I'll be fine Gray" she looked up at him, eyes filled with determination.

"Miss Lucy, I think you should rest some more. You've been asleep for almost a whole week" Wendy said with worry.

Natsu remained quiet, remembering bits and pieces of the time he spent at the Heartfilla Manor. His jaw clenched tightly, hands starting to shake, unable to rid himself that feeling of regret. He felt Lucy's fingers brush the backside of his neck, snapping him out of his daze, "You sure you don't want anyone else to come, Lucy?" he said quietly. Shortly after, Happy flew in the room and into Lucy's arms. Leo walked slowly over to them, arms folded loosely as he eyed the pink-haired boy warily.

"Lucy!" Happy squealed loudly, "I thought you were dying, don't do that again!" the poor cat sniffled into Lucy. The blonde patted the small cat gently.

"Nope, not dying just yet, Happy" She thought for a moment, grimacing, "Do you want to come with us, Happy, With me and Natsu to my old home?" Leo's eyes shot to hers, as if he had just heard something devastating.

"why...would you go back there?" he breathed, still processing the words that echoed in his head. He looked to Natsu who also seemed to be in pain for different a reason, "You and Natsu?" he said more confusedly.

Lucy nodded, "I want to leave as soon as possible" She tried to move but, her legs felt terribly weak. Natsu sat up quickly and held onto her arms. Makarov watched them while Gray shook his head disapprovingly. Erza already left to speak with Jellal who was waiting outside. Wendy looked to Charle, who was standing next to her, looking worried.

"Lucy, i think you should rest some more like she said" he said quietly. Lucy huffed and flipped her legs around. Her brown eyes started to have s small twinkle return to them. However, her skin was still abnormally pale. Her cheeks barely had any color in them but, Leo can see she was partially flustered.

"I'll be fine. There's, something i have to do. Something i have to see" she said as she tried to stand up. Leo grabbed her one arm as Natsu held her up on the other side. He glanced towards the lion spirit who refused to move away. They stared at each other for a few moments and Makarov chuckled when he finally saw the similarity between them.

"You boys need to calm down" he said in a huff. Makarov walked by Lucy, hands folded behind his back, "Listen to me dear. You shouldn't push yourself so far. You just woke up from your long sleep"

"All the more reason i should get moving. I can't...stand being in this room any longer" she groaned as she finally held herself up. Natsu didn't let go but watched as Leo backed up slightly.

Happy flew on top of Lucy's head, "I'll go with you, Lucy! I'll probably see more fish on the way there" he said happily. Lucy smiled up at him and pulled him down into her arms. Natsu sighed and looked over towards the bag that was hiding under her bed. He picked it up carefully while Lucy was talking to Happy. Makarov's eyes fell to the bag that Natsu was holding. He opened the bag slowly and felt his chest tighten when he saw his book in there, still intact. Closing the bag quickly, Lucy turned to him half-smiling.

"Something wrong, Natsu?" He shook his head and grimaced at her.

"We should get moving then, the sun is half way up already" he said quickly as he left the room with the bag.

Gray sighed and walked towards the door, "Are you really sure about this Lucy?" he looked at her as he stood in the doorway, pleading she would change her mind and take someone else with her.

"I'm sure, Gray. I promise everything will be alright" she gave him a light smile and he nodded. He left when Erza came back into the room. She was holding a strange box.

"Lucy, Jellal wanted me to give you this. Maybe you can find a use for it?" she said quickly and then looked down to the guild master who was still studying the situation. Lucy opened the box carefully, eyes widening when she saw a small golden key in the center of it. She held up the key, turning it in the light. It had a strange black snake coiling around it. Something in her tugged as she stared at it, trying to figure out what it was. She knew the symbols of the zodiac by heart because of her mother but, this was something different. Leo moved towards her, eyeing the strange key in her hand.

"Impossible..." he breathed.

Everyone's eyes looked up to him, "Do you know what this key is?" Lucy asked curiously.

She placed it back into the box and Leo closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and spoke carefully, "That key...i haven't seen it for decades. That's the 13th gate, The gate of Ophiuchus. It was suppose to be long lost. How did Jellal find it?" looking up to Erza.

"He said someone gave it to him and ran off without a name. He was just as curious as the rest of us, figured maybe Lucy could make use of it" Leo looked at the curious blonde who's eyes was staring at the box.

"I'll make a contract with it later, Leo. Right now, we should get going" she said until Leo placed a hand onto the box.

"Don't summon it unless you absolutely have to, Lucy" Erza looked up at him, feeling just as curious as Lucy.

"What do you mean?" Lucy said with a slight confusion, "Do i not make contracts with the Celestial spirits?"

Leo stared at her, shaking his head, "This one is different, Lucy. This isn't your ordinary spirit. Even i don't know...much about him"

"Him?" her eyes looked back down, "What's wrong with, him?" her voice grew quiet.

Leo swallowed heavily and spoke barely above a whisper, "Ophiuchus, the snake charmer, is...quite temperamental. He doesn't like humans. It's power is based heavily on black magic and those who summon him..." Leo grit his teeth, "Let's just say it doesn't end well. I won't say that it will happen to you but, promise me. Don't summon Ophiuchus unless you absolutely have no choice. Alright?"

Lucy nodded to him and looked towards the door. Natsu was waiting for her. She turned her head back to Leo, "I'll see you later, okay?" Leo nodded and waved before he disappeared into a bright light.

"Be safe, Lucy" Makarov said to her with a smile lingering on his face. Lucy nodded to him and waved them off.

Natsu grabbed her hand gently and held it to his face, peeking at her from under his eyes, "You sure you'll be alright Lucy?" She smiled at him softly and nodded.

"Yeah, I'll be okay" He grimaced at her and looked towards the barren guild hall.

"Is there anything else we should do before we head off?" he asked curiously. Eyes darting to the people staring at them.

"We should stack on fish before we head off" Happy flew into Lucy's arms after saying goodbye to Charle. Natsu frowned at the blue cat.

"He's coming with us then?" Natsu started to walk off and Lucy chuckled.

"Aye! Lucy asked me to" Happy smiled up towards the blonde.

* * *

They walked in silence through the forest behind the city. People whispered to each other and Lucy stuck closely to Natsu. It seems people started to return back to whatever was left of Magnolia. Happy was sleeping in Lucy's arms, twitching and muttering silently about fish.

"I think we should take the train. It'll be awhile before we get there" Lucy mumbled quietly. Her eyes were on Happy and Natsu nudged her shoulder gently.

"Whatever you want to do, Luce" Lucy looked at him to see a small smile lingering on him. Her heart fluttered and her gaze softened. She looked up towards the sky as they walked and closed her eyes.

"I saw my mother, at least i think i did" she said quietly through the breeze that passed through.

Natsu froze for a moment, "Oh yeah?" his face pinched, wondering what she'll say next.

"She still smiled at me Natsu. Despite everything, she still smiled for me and everyone but, a part of me didn't want to leave" She continued to speak in the same soft tone.

Natsu felt his heart drop in that moment then he looked at her, "Why didn't you, Lucy?"

She stopped and looked at him. Natsu's heart suddenly picks up in that moment, something warm washing through him. Lucy had the most sincerest smile on her face. The sun shined on her as her bright blonde fluttered in the air gently, "I came back for everyone here and..." her voice trailed and her gaze softened further, "i came back because of you, Natsu" He walked towards her, gently touching her face with his fingertips. She grabbed his hand slowly and held it to her face, "She was worried about everyone, not just me. Mom showed me what was going on and then I saw you. At first, i thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me. I was trapped in the darkness for so long, i couldn't think" Lucy closed her eyes as she nuzzled her face into his hand.

"Lucy.." he whispered gently.

Lucy looked at him again and sighed, "I knew from that moment i saw you, i had to come back. Mom was happy for me, despite everything, she was happy that i was living. Told me i had to be there for you and my friends." A tear fell down Natsu's face as guilt filled him. Lucy leaned her head towards him and smiled more brightly with her eyes closed, "I'll never leave you again, Natsu. I promise, I'll always be here." She kissed his forehead lightly as Natsu silently cried for her. The regret and pain he had for her right now was strong but the moment he felt her lips pressing against him washed it all away. He looked at her and felt like he saw an angel. An angel that came down from the heaven's to forgive his long lost soul that wandered the world for centuries. However a part of him couldn't accept it. He felt like there was no reason anyone should forgive him, not after everything he put this precious girl through. Lucy touched his face gently and he snapped out of his daze again. He blinked a few times, "Natsu, You okay?"

Natsu nodded and smiled at her, "Yeah, I'm alright. Let's go before it gets dark" He started to pull her along with him gently through the rest of the forest. The rest of the time remained quiet, a peaceful quiet.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set and they just finally arrived to the Heartfilla Estate. Lucy stared at the large Manor, her once beautiful home was now left in a pile of burnt rubble. The tree's around were barren, the small houses nearby were destroyed. The Manor that was centered was half destroyed, the rest of it looked like it was barely standing. Natsu looked at her, guilt filling his eyes. He did this, he destroyed the foundation of her home. He wanted to comfort her but, a part of him kept himself from doing so. Natsu watched the expressions on her face change slightly. At first she looked as if she was in pain, then hurt. It slid into sadness then confusion. Lucy turned to look at him, "Let's go" she said quietly and started walking down the hillside. Natsu hesitated at first, looking back over the estate. Then followed her down before she ended up tripping because she still wasn't at her best.

"I'm surprised no one has tried to take over and clean up the place" she spoke suddenly. Her eyes focused ahead towards the broken pathway. Natsu didn't say anything and just followed closely behind her.

"Mom loved to garden and watch the stars at night. This place had the most beautiful view. She would always tell me stories about herself. How she communicated with the stars" Lucy laughed lightly, ringing like bells again in his ears. He couldn't help but smile from her little story. She stopped and turned to him. Natsu's eyes widened.

"Something wrong?" he asked, wondering why they stopped. Lucy pointed towards a large monument in the shape of an angel.

"One of the reasons why i came back" she whispered. Lucy started to pull him over towards it. They stopped again front of the angel statue that resided in front of the burnt Manor, "I wish things could've been different" Lucy said quietly. Her face suddenly looked pained and Natsu couldn't even look at the grave in front of them, "I still don't know where my dad is. I haven't even heard from him but..." Lucy nudges Natsu to look at her. He hesitated at first but obliged anyway, "I'm just happy to know Mom is still watching over me. Over us" she said while smiling.

Natsu chuckled, sounding distant, "I think she's just watching you, Luce"

Lucy shook her head, "That's not what she told me. If mom honestly didn't approve of this, she would've said so" Lucy laughed lightly, "She sure had a temper when something was amiss"

Natsu frowned and shook his head, "I'm sure she's still cursing at me through her grave" he glanced quickly at the statue, feeling like he was being watched. He then turned his head to the side but saw nothing.

Lucy huffed and turned his face towards her, "Listen to me, Dragneel" she pointed at him, "I'm here now and that's what matters. What happened in the past, stays there. There's no point in losing yourself to it. Nothing can change it" she smiled again as she looked up at the grave.

"Things happen for a reason" she said quietly, "Maybe at some point, We would've ran into each other one way or another. Mom always said, Love has a weird way of making things work. Just got to believe in it"

Natsu grimaced and Lucy looked at him smiling, "Come, There's other things i want to look at" Natsu looked back towards the dark bare trees before suddenly being pulled away by Lucy.

When they got far enough, a shadow moved from behind the trees, "Dear brother, What has that girl done to you..." the shadow watched them carefully and disappeared slowly back into the darkness.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Hisou(extended)"**_

* * *

Night fell and Lucy was walking through the burnt down halls. Natsu kept close to her in case anything happened. The house creaked noisily and Lucy tried to walk up a flight of stairs but, one of the steps caved in. She yelped and Natsu caught her immediately.

"You really should watch your step. The place is dangerous in this condition" he said while holding her up. Lucy looked down and noticed she scratched herself. She kneeled down and pulled off her bag to start cleaning it before anything gets in the cut. Natsu's eyes fell to the blood that started to show from her cut and sighed loudly, "see what i mean" he kneeled down and helped her bandage up.

She shook her head at him, "I'm just clumsy. Let's go, its all cleaned up now" she grabbed his hand and stepped over the broken stair well, "I want to see something and this is the only way up. Alright? If anything happens, i got my spirits" Natsu winced from the words and nodded to her quickly before following her.

The house continued to creak loudly the further they got. Lucy stopped in front of a painting that was still on the wall. Despite being covered in black ash, she can still vaguely make out the image. A small blonde girl smiling in the arms of her parents. Her dad was holding her while her mother was staring down at the smiling girl. Natsu's chest tightened, suddenly remembering the only painting he ever hung on his wall.

"I use to have a family too" he said quietly almost like a whisper. Lucy turned her head towards him, eyes widening.

"What happened to them?" she felt guilty for prying into it but, if he was going to talk now, she is going to cling to that opportunity. He looked at her as sadness filled his eyes.

"I barely remember" he said quieter, facing back towards the painting on the wall, "I haven't seen them for centuries"

Lucy's face fell, "Oh.." swallowing heavily. For a moment, she forgot how old he was, Natsu looked young, could easily pass for early twenties, more or less.

Natsu laughed at what she could possibly be thinking right now, "Age is a trivial thing to demons. Once we hit a certain point, it just stops. Although now..." his face pinched again, "I'm not so sure.."

Lucy looked back towards the painting, "What can you remember?" changing back to the previous topic.

Natsu sighed and closed his eyes, trying to remember, "It's hazy. I can only see flashes if i think hard enough. That book will probably have everything written clear as day but.." his voice trailed and Lucy looked down to her bag, holding it closer to herself, "I was only four..." he continued, "I think i was but, from what i can remember there was fire. A lot of it. I remember seeing my parents die in front of me before i died with them. My brother wasn't there at the time.." His voice got quieter and heard Lucy's heart stutter. She looked at him and he noticed the sadness and pain lingering in her bright brown eyes. A tear started to linger at the corner and Natsu immediately reached out towards it, "That's when i was reborn, Lucy. To what i was, the demon that walked this earth. Not because i chose it, no" Natsu started to laugh darkly making Lucy flinch under his touch, "No, my brother brought me back as a demon and left me again. Without so much as an explanation. My brother is the Black Mage Zeref who too, terrorized this world. I hated him for what he did, i still do. I found the rest of his books and i stuck close to them, hoping to find out about his whereabouts so i can rip the answers from him" He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw.

He held a fist close to his face and Lucy stretched out her hand towards him. Brushing the back of her hand across his cheek. He flickered his gaze towards her and held her hand. Lucy smiled at him faintly, "I'm just glad i met you, Natsu" she whispered.

His heart jumped and he chuckled, "That's got to be the strangest thing to hear, from my point of view and the place we're in" Lucy shook her head at him.

"I'm serious" Her brown eyes locked on his and he again heard her heart skip a beat, "L-Let's go before we get stuck here too long" he noticed her taking once last glance towards the picture and continued walking on the unstable floors.

They continued walking until they reached the end of the hall. Lucy pushed open a door that was half broken and walked through. Natsu looked around and noticed this room looked like it was made for a small girl.

"Is this...your room?" he asked curiously while looking around.

Lucy huffed as she walked over the debris, "Yeah. It use to be my room. Spent most of my time here because i wasn't able to wander around without supervision" he watched as she tried digging through the rubble and Natsu looked at the small frames that were still on the walls. A bunch of pictures of her and her mother, how similar they looked. Lucy walked behind him and looked at the wall he was staring at, "Mom was the only one that played with me for hours while dad worked. She made sure i never lived a quiet moment, made sure i never felt alone.." Natsu heard her sigh and held her hand.

His eyes flickered over her shadowed face. Brushing her hair back slightly, "What're we looking for? We shouldn't stay here for too long. Its getting dark and this place is falling apart as we speak" Lucy bit her lip and held out her hand. A small flicker of her golden flames shined brightly between them. It illuminated the room nicely and Natsu sighed. He backed away as he looked further around the room.

"I...started getting use to these flames. The burns don't bother me anymore nor does it try to force its way out" she said quietly. Natsu stood by the broken window that was overlooking the front of the manor.

"Is that so?" he said while his arms crossed. Eyes narrowing down towards the dark trees in the distance, "Probably because the threat is gone" he said with slight sarcasm. He honestly still felt bitter about his own fire being put out but, he was indeed curious as to why his book was still around.

Lucy moved over towards him, "Or there is still something out there that needs protecting" Her brown eyes shimmered at him. Natsu grimaced before looking back outside again. Lucy looked outside as well, wondering whats occupying him so much, "Is something wrong?" she whispered.

He shook his head, "My senses aren't as adept as it use to be. Hard to say but i feel like we're being watched. Was there still security in the area?"

Lucy shook her head, "I don't know"

Natsu pulled her away from the window and went further into the room, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

Lucy sighed and folded her arms, "No. I think its possible it could be in the old study or mom's room"

"Which side of the house is it, Lucy?" they started walking out of the room while Lucy looked at her small bag.

"It's on the other side of the manor, the study anyway. Mom's room is across the hall" she points out to the dark hallway, towards the end. There was a huge hole blocking their path.

"I don't think we can go down there Luce" he said worriedly.

"Maybe not but, there is a way to go around it" She pulled out her keys slowly

Natsu looked at her skeptically, "If it has to do with us going across that then I'm against it, Luce"

Lucy held up Leo's key, "I won't need to. Open, Gate of the Lion! Leo!" a bright light shined in the dark hallway and Natsu sighed loudly placing his hands onto his waist.

"Fun" he grumbles under his breath.

"Hello again, Princess" his eyes fell towards the grumpy pink-haired boy, "Natsu" nodding towards him. Natsu glanced at the spirit and huffed. Leo chuckled and looked back towards the girl, "How may i help you, princess" Leo looked around the battered building, feeling slightly pained from the memory of when he was last here. It was also the last time he ever saw his previous master, Layla.

"I need you to go to Mom's room. I think dad might've hid the keys in his safe. He use to hide mom's presents in there...so maybe, her keys might be there too" Lucy said as she walked towards Natsu. She held his hand and looked back towards Leo, "please?"

Leo sighed and nodded, "I can try, princess"

"do you still remember his pass code?" she spoke quieter as she brushed her fingers across Natsu's hand. He started to do the same back.

Leo nodded, "Yeah, give me a few minutes." Leo jumped across the hole with ease towards her mother's room. Lucy looked at Natsu who seemed to be lost in his thoughts, again.

"Okay, now i know something is definitely bothering you. What is it?" Lucy leaned in towards him and he blinked a few times at her. He cleared his throat and looked away slightly. Leo came back after only a few minutes.

"Seems the princess knew her father well" Leo said as he handed her a small box. Lucy stared at it and felt her chest tighten. Her mother's keys, the ones she never got to see ever since...

"Is that everything?" Natsu spoke suddenly. Lucy flickered her gaze at Natsu and then towards the black box.

"Yeah but, there's something else as well" Leo spoke as he handed Lucy a piece of paper, "This...was for your mother, Lucy. If you wish to see it"

Lucy swallowed heavily and took the piece of paper from Leo with the box under it. Her heart beat nervously and Natsu placed a hand onto her shoulder, "You'll be alright, Luce?" he said gently.

Leo looked at her and smiled faintly, "I'll see you later, Princess. Be safe" and he faded into a bright light.

"i think so.." Lucy whispered and looked up to him as she smiled weakly, "Let's get outside, it'll probably have better lighting anyway" Natsu nodded and they carefully left the manor.

* * *

Lucy sat in the patch of grass that was left by the once beautiful garden her mother had. Her fingers were wrapped tightly around the box and Natsu was sitting across from her watching. His knee's barely brushed against hers and the small breezed lifted her hair in the air. The girl placed down the box carefully and took a deep breath before opening the letter.

' _To my beloved wife, Layla,_

 _I must first apologize about the pain i must have caused you. I know how much these keys mean to you. However, we both know deep down it was for the best. When our daughter grows up, i know you are going to be looking for your keys to pass down to her. So for now, I kept them safe until the time was right, until we know it was safe to let them out. Lucy's safety is our foremost top priority and Layla you are just as important. I'm sorry to say that if you're reading this now, It means i am already gone. I don't know where I'll be at this point but, i hope you are doing well and safe with Lucy. I need you to be strong, still smiling as bright as ever for all of us. Hopefully we can see each other again very soon._

 _Your husband, Jude_ '

Lucy placed down the letter, folding it back up neatly as tears fell down her cheeks. Her body was trembling and Natsu leaned over and held her tightly into his arms, "It wasn't a will, Natsu" she sobbed between words. "It's possible he might still be alive" she continued to cry, "but he never got to see mom again. Mom never got to see his last words" Lucy poured all her tears into Natsu's shirt, as he rubbed her back gently. It remained quiet for awhile when Lucy's tears finally died down.

"You alright now, Lucy?" he murmured as she wiped the remaining tears away.

Lucy nodded slowly, "Yeah, i think so"

"Was this the reason you came all the way out here?" he continued to rub her back gently with his fingers. Gliding up and down her small bones poking from behind. The breeze brushed through gently again, pushing her hair away from her face. The moonlight shined down brightly on them. Natsu's shimmering green eyes no longer had traces of red in them. Lucy stared at him, feeling herself relax. She moved her hand towards his face, brushing his cheek gently.

"Yeah, this was why i came here. I visited mom and found her keys" she whispered. Lucy leaned into him, pressing her ears against his warm chest, listening to his heart beat, "I miss her, Natsu. I think dad, misses her too"

"You ever going to try to look for him?" he whispered. The words hung in the air for a few minutes, he listened to her sigh gently before shining her brown eyes at him again.

"You never saw him?" she spoke nervously.

Natsu shook his head, "No, never saw him"

Lucy bit her lip as she was lost in her thoughts, "Then you think he might be alive?" her heart pace picked up slightly. Natsu felt her skin growing warm under his touch. He nuzzled his head into her neck.

"Possibly" he murmured into her neck and kissed her gently.

"Then do you think I'll be able to find him one day?" Lucy shuddered and closed her eyes.

"Maybe" he said quietly. He continued to kiss her neck gently and leaned her down into the grass. Lucy looked up at him, feeling her face flush. Natsu smiled down at her and stared into her shining eyes. Lucy heard his heart beat picking up, just as hers was. Without saying another word, he leaned down to her face, brushing her cheek gently with his thumb before moving further down, kissing her gently under the bright moonlight.

From the shadows, the figure slowly came into view, watching the couple in the grass, "So this is what you've been reduced to" he spoke bitterly. His eyes locked onto the blonde girl under Natsu, "I'll be seeing you guys soon" before walking away from the sight.

* * *

 **Now for the preview!**

* * *

*~... _Zeref punched the counter beside Makarov's head, feeling it crumble behind him, "He's not the same, he hasn't been for awhile" Zeref showed him another sickly sweet smile and stood up, "In less than a week, END will be back" he spoke as he started to walk back out, "A week before i tear this world apart"..._ ~*

 **See you next time..Don't miss it...*whistles***


	22. Chapter 21: Under the Stars

**AN: Read this please: This is the first and _only_ time I'll ever write an intimate scene for this story!  
**

 **It starts at the beginning of this chapter and is written in the Italics.**

 **...Why?**

 **Because there is a couple things going on, almost like a scene splitting - going back and forth within the same time frame.**

 **Still confused? Welp, I'm sure you'll get it after reading it.**

 **...**

 **No i did not write anything super descriptive during the scenes,  
**

 **It was so hard to write this scene though, i panicked and got nervous. To get the point across without saying too much...*faints***

 **So many things happen and well...now the plot is finally revealed, Only 5 whole chapters left after this*cries***

 **...**

 **Anyway onto the chapter, enjoy.../('_' ")\**

 ***~Chapter preview is at the end!~***

* * *

 ** _"Song play - Fairy Tail - Tsuioku Mezameru Tamashii Ost (extended)"_**

* * *

 _Natsu held Lucy closer to him, feeling her breath gliding across his skin. Her warm fingers trailing down his back. The cold breeze made her shiver every time it passed through._

Fairy Tail was quiet. People were still moving around fixing the city while Makarov watched from above his guild. Eyes darting around the night view, listening to the peace that finally resided in the area. In the distance, a boy with jet-black hair and black robes stood at the end of the city. Eyes scanning over the broken buildings.

 _Lucy wrapped her arms tightly around him. Feeling his hands gently brushing across her sides, down her hips. Every touch sent her chills, making the girl shudder. Lucy kept her eyes closed as she tilted her head back. Natsu sent her butterfly kisses down her neck, to her collarbone._

Makarov sighed, hoping this town will get lively again soon. This barren place made his heart sink. He spent his entire life in this small town, watched it grow. His eye caught something in the distance. Standing up, he watched a strange boy walking down the streets. The black-haired boy smiled as he watched people helping each other repair the buildings. People paid no mind to him, assuming he was just a traveler.

 _Natsu nipped at her neck gently as the girl sighed pleasantly. Her fingers trailed up his back, gripping the back of his head firmly. A low growl escaped his lips and nipped her neck harder. A quiet moan escaped her and his hand traveled further down her warm body._

Makarov ran down the stairs swiftly and stopped in the guild hall. The place was now empty and eerily quiet. ' _Where is everyone?_ ' he asked himself. He moved towards the door when it suddenly swung open. His eyes widened when the strange boy stood at his doorway, smiling down towards the old man, "Nice to see you again, Makarov Dreyar"

 _Small moans escaped Lucy as Natsu continued to explore. She felt herself gripping tighter onto him until he moved up away from her. She opened her eyes to see Natsu's green eyes pooling with lust. Leaning back down, he kissed her gently before melting into a more passionate kiss. Another growl escaped him as they started to pull off their shirts._

"Who are you? What happened to everyone?" Makarov spoke nervously. The old man couldn't feel anything from this boy. An odd feeling that sent him shivers. This wasn't an ordinary person, he knew that.

The boy smiled at him and stepped towards Makarov slowly, "Everyone is safe. For now" he spoke gently. He sat down at the empty table, crossing his legs as he looked at the guild master, "It's been awhile since I've been here"

Makarov watched him carefully, "What business do you have with Fairy Tail?" he swallowed thickly as he watched the boy continuously smile at him.

 _Lucy's body felt like it was on fire, making her more sensitive to the touch. She closed her eyes again as Natsu's head traveled down, reaching to her chest. She felt his lips brushing below her collarbone, nipping and kissing ever so gently. His hand started to slide down her back to unclasp the black laced bra, without moving his head away. Lucy shrugged her shoulder, helping him take it off all too eagerly._

"Business? Must i have a reason to visit an old friend's guild?" The boy kept his gaze on the old man, watching his expression waiver between frustration and confusion.

"Old friend?...I don't mean to be rude but, mind telling me who you are?" Makarov spoke the words carefully, not wanting to offend this strange person.

"Of course. I don't see people too often, so please excuse my manners. My name is Zeref, Zeref Dragneel. I'm an old friend of Mavis Vermilion" his words dripped like poison to Makarov. He felt like his world just shattered.

"No...it can't be...that's impossible..." the old man took a few steps back, feeling terrified, "What're you doing here?"

 _Natsu kissed her gently in every spot he could find. Hearing the girl moan from every touch he made, making his heart soar. Wanting to hear her more, his fingers slid down between her legs and Lucy arched her back towards him. She gripped a fistful of his hair and another soft growl escaped him. Natsu felt her hips hips moving underneath him, egging him to go further._

"Why is that so hard to believe?" Zeref spoke gently, "It's not the first time i've been here. I even remember the time you were born, the moment Mavis ran back to me crying" He got up and started walking towards Makarov. The old man took a step back away from him until he hit the bar. Zeref stopped a few feet in front of him, "However, your time is running up, Guild Master of Fairy Tail. Soon all of this, will be gone" pointing around the room.

"What do you want from me, Zeref?" The boy smiled darkly at the quivering old man.

"What i want?" the black haired boy thought for a moment before answering, "What i want is peace, however it occurs to me you guys took that away from me"

 _Lucy felt Natsu reach inside of her, feeling like she was completely on fire. She mewled continuously as he explored further. His eyes closed, face dripping with sweat and Lucy gripped onto him tightly. She can hear his heart beating erratically along with her own. Their hot, heavy breaths was visible with the cool air. Lucy glanced down to him with one eye, watching him kiss her gently down below her waist._

"As far as we know, we haven't taken anything from you!" Makarov spoke bitterly as he watched the boys face fall.

"You haven't destroyed my precious books? The precious home i made for my dear brother?" Zeref's voice grew dark and Makarov watched his eyes grow red. Feeling the atmosphere grow thicker, thick with dark magic.

"Brother...? You don't mean..." His eyes widened.

"Natsu Dragneel, or END. Either way, he is the one and the same" Zeref kneeled down to the old man who had his back pressed firmly against the bar counter, "You took my precious brother away from me. The one who was suppose to bring me my peace" he glared harshly towards the man.

"Natsu is still alive...We didn't take him away from you" Makarov spoke a bit louder.

Zeref punched the counter beside Makarov's head, feeling it crumble behind him, "He's not the same, he hasn't been for awhile" Zeref showed him another sickly sweet smile and stood up, "In less than a week, END will be back" he spoke as he started to walk back out, "A week before i tear this world apart"

Makarov walked towards him, feeling himself tremble, "...but how...why?" slightly afraid of the answer, "How do you know what happened to Natsu..." Makarov's eyes widened, ' _How long has he known? Lucy could be in trouble..._ '

"I was wandering for awhile after Serena told me the news" Makarov felt the wind knocked out of him and fell onto his knees, "I asked him to keep an eye on things for awhile until he told me something rather interesting. So i decided to go look for myself" Zeref turned to look down to the old man, "It's funny. I never would've guessed my brother could grow so soft in such little time. I remember when he took pride in destroying things, burning everything he came across, and yet..."

Makarov swallowed thickly, "What'd you do?" he grumbled quietly under his breath.

Zeref sighed and shrugged, "I didn't do anything, yet. I came across their path while i was coming down here. It seems they were getting...rather busy under the night sky. It's a shame their so called happiness won't last"

Makarov gritted his teeth and glared harshly at the black-haired boy, "What are you planning on doing? They can finally live in peace!" he said harshly between his teeth.

 _Natsu leaned his forehead onto Lucy, feeling her hot ragged breath on his face, "Lucy, are you sure?" he breathed heavily. Lucy cupped his cheek and kissed him gently, "Yeah, I'm sure" Lucy closed her eyes as she felt him lift himself up slightly. She brushed against his fingers gently and suddenly felt him push himself inside of her. She let out a small cry before finally feeling a wave of pleasure wash through her._

"Getting my little brother back. It's all i want" he said with smile, "Then I'm going to finish what I've started. I want to finally be free of this world, free from walking this place aimlessly for eternity" Zeref stood by the door way, speaking one last time before he left, "One week is all you have, Dreyar. I'll have END back and I'll have him tear this place down until there's nothing left. Enjoy your last few days of peace, Guild Master of Fairy Tail" He closed the doors gently.

Makarov trembled in his spot. Countless thoughts washed through his head, hearing the boys words echo, ' _One Week..._ ' he thought. A tear slid down his cheek, "Lucy...Natsu..." he closed his eyes when he heard people walk into the guild, laughing and smiling brighter than ever. Gray looked at the old man in the middle of the floor who looked like the life was drained from him.

"OLD MAN!" he yelled. Erza, Wendy, Laxus, Gajeel, everyone ran over to him.

"Master what on earthland happened to you?" Erza spoke loudly.

"Gramps, everything alright?" Laxus said while kneeling down and helping his grandfather up.

Makarov mumbled something incoherently under his breath, his body shaking terribly.

"Master, please, you're scaring us. What happened?" Erza pleaded.

Makarov eyed them all warily, feeling the words spill from his lips slowly, "Zeref. Zeref was here"

"What?" Gray said quietly.

"What do you mean he was here, he just waltzed in?" Gajeel said as he folded his arms.

"Explain, Master, please. What happened?"

Makarov swallowed thickly, feeling a lump stuck in his throat, with his voice feeling hoarse, he spoke, "Zeref came to take back what was his. Told me what he was going to do once he gets him back..." Voice trailing barely above a whisper.

"Take who back? What the hell is going on?" Laxus spoke loudly.

Makarov looked at his grandson, tears threatening to spill, "He found out about him. Found out about Natsu. He wants END back and will destroy everything we have because of it"

The words hung in the air and everyone fell silent. The night continued with absolute silence when it was suppose to be the most special night for Natsu and Lucy.

* * *

Natsu buried his head into her neck. Feeling himself smile from the bottom of his heart. He kissed her gently on the cheek and watched as her eyes started to droop.

"I love you so much, Natsu" she breathed. She smiled so sweetly at him, hearing his heart skip to the words. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep in his arms. Natsu moved to the side of her, pulling her tightly into him. He buried his face into her hair, listening to the soft breaths leaving her. Natsu closed his eyes as the words lingered his head. A sharp pain was felt in his chest, making him clench his teeth tightly. His breathing staggered for a moment before the pain suddenly went away. His eyes narrowed to the girl under his arms, feeling slightly confused. Natsu moved his hand up and watched small dark embers coating his fingertips. His breath stopped and he flicked his wrist. The flames went out immediately and he squeezed his eyes shut. ' _What is going on?_ ' he thought, _'How...?_ ' Taking a deep breath, he buried his negative thoughts and allowed himself to fall asleep. Not wanting to ruin this special night.

Happy flew over them with a blanket and watched the two for a moment. When they first arrived to the manor, he got sidetracked with the rivers full of fish and with Lucy's permission, he flew to it immediately. He came back only recently to see them together and not wanting to embarrass himself he kept out of sight. Happy curled up into a ball after dropping the blanket and fell asleep with them.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - A Shadow Shall Go By"**_

* * *

Lucy was walking down a dark pathway. Unable to tell if she was awake or not. She knew she never left her manor, not yet anyway. Last she can remember was being with Natsu and...

Lucy sighed as she stared at the emptiness and two pathways. Neither of them seemed to go anywhere. She moved her head around feeling lost and confused, ' _Why am i always getting stuck in these weird places_ ' she mumbled. Her eyes caught something in the distance. Without thinking any further, she followed it, not paying attention to where she was going. She stopped when she saw the familiar pink hair in front of her.

"Natsu!" she smiled as she ran towards him. He didn't turn around, "Natsu, What're you doing here?" she touched his shoulder and watched as he turned around slowly. Her breath was caught and slowly held a hand to her mouth. Natsu's eyes were a deep red with blood at the corner of his lips, "...Natsu..." she breathed, "What's going on?" His expression changed. His eyes narrowed to her, lips curling back into a ferocious snarl. She heard the deep growls leaving his throat, making Lucy step back. Her head shook nervously, "No...no...this can't be. Natsu...what's wrong" feeling a small tear roll down her cheek. He stepped towards her, slightly crouching, "Natsu!" she screamed as she watched him lunge at her.

...

She was suddenly jolted awake, seeing Natsu's panicked expression in front of her. Tears rolled down her face as she flinched back from him, "LUCY!" he yelled. He moved towards her again as he watched her move backwards yet again.

Happy woke up and rubbed his eyes. His head moved towards the two people in front of him. Eyes widening when he saw Lucy looking terrified out of her mind, "LUCY!" Happy yelled as he flew towards her.

Natsu looked up to the cat with pleading eyes, "What's going on?" His voice shook terribly. Lucy started to cry, hands held to her face, "Lucy, please, tell me what's wrong. Did you have a nightmare?" He attempted to move closer to her and grabbed her into his arms.

Lucy was shaking when she finally spoke with tears spilling onto him, "I...thought...I thought...i lost you again" she sobbed heavily, leaving Natsu confused.

He kissed the top of her head, "I'm right here. I'll never leave you Lucy. Not ever, I promise. Tell me..." he held her head gently between his hands, "What happened? What'd you dream about that made you so terrified?"

Lucy flinched when she saw the blood red eyes flash in her mind, "I don't know what i saw" she breathed. Her throat felt strained as she tried to swallow, "I don't..."

"It's alright you can tell me" he leaned in towards her.

Lucy's lips trembled as she spoke quietly, "I saw you and you were different. I never saw something...so..."

Natsu's face pinched and let out a heavy sigh, "What'd you see this time, Luce?" Rubbing her back ever so gently.

"I saw..." trying to search the words, until she decided to just say how it is, "I saw you, attacking me. Your eyes was never anything i saw before. It was so...red...so..terrifying. You looked..." Lucy breathed heavily and looked straight into his panic filled green eyes, "It looked like i saw a demon for the first time, something so blood-chilling cold. You looked at me with those blood-shot eyes like you were ready to kill me" she breathed shakily.

Natsu stiffened under her. His arms gripped tighter around her. He nuzzled his face into her hair as he spoke gently, "Lucy, You know i'd never do that. Even before..."

Lucy shook her head, "It was different, Natsu. It was like it wasn't you, something entirely different" her voice shook as she buried her head into his chest, "I know you'll never hurt me but...after seeing that" She started crying again. He continued murmuring towards her that everything will be okay. Happy stood near them, looking sad and confused.

"Is Lucy going to be okay?" the blue cat said quietly.

Natsu looked at him and nodded, "I hope so"

...

An hour passed and Lucy was fast asleep again. Not making a sound, he held her there, listening to her calm heart beat. He finally relaxed when she stopped trembling and crying. It left him puzzled as to why she would dream of something like that. He wasn't able to sleep again for the rest of the night because of it. While Natsu held her, he was wondering why he suddenly had his magic again. That comfortable burning sensation coursing through his veins strongly as if it never left.

He glanced towards the blue cat who was sound asleep again. Natsu sighed heavily as he watched the sun rise in the distance. They were suppose to head back to Magnolia tomorrow but something in his gut was screaming for him not to. The last time he ignored it, something bad happened, Every time. He took another glance at the sleeping girl buried in his arms and brushed her hair back. She twitched from his touch but slept soundly, peacefully finally. Natsu so desperately wanted to shake this uncomfortable feeling away.

It was suppose to be their day, their special day like any other couple suppose to have after spending a night together. He clenched his fist and kissed the top of her head again. Wishing her nightmares would be gone forever. He didn't want to wake up hearing her scream again. It felt like his world shattered in that one moment. He squeezed his eyes shut, burying that horrific scream that echoed in his head. He thought he'd never have to hear it again after the first couple times. The reasons being because of him. Sighing, he carefully placed down Lucy and pulled the small blanket over her. He quickly got dressed and buried their stuff back into the bag. His fingers lingered over the small letter from her father and looked up towards the dimly lit sky. ' _Hopefully she'll find him_ ' he thought. it didn't take long to hear Lucy suddenly shuffle herself awake. He blinked down at her before smiling gently.

"How're you feeling, Luce?" he placed her bag down and kneeled in front of her.

"Better" she grimaced before her brows furrowed, "clothes...please" she whispered as her cheeks went pink. Natsu chuckled and picked up her clothes carefully and handed it to her. Happy was still sleeping so Lucy quickly got dressed and grabbed her bag, "Ready to head back, Natsu?"

He picked up the sleeping blue cat into his arms, "You sure you're feeling alright?"

Lucy sighed and looked away for a moment before looking back at him, "Yea" she nudged his shoulder and then kissed his cheek, "Better than okay. Just a small nightmare"

Natsu grimaced, "Normally, people wouldn't be okay after something like that, Luce" he started walking ahead of her.

Lucy laughed lightly, "Well we're not normal people"

Natsu grinned down at her, "You got that right. You're a weirdo" he snickered and Lucy playfully punched his arm.

He feigned pain and Lucy huffed further, "You're a bigger weirdo! At least i don't have naturally pink hair. I have never in all my life seen that before" she laughed.

Natsu sighed, "OI, you're the one that never got out much"

Lucy stuck her tongue put at him and they continued to playfully banter as they headed back to Magnolia.

* * *

The guild was quiet still. Makarov stayed locked into his office while Mira hummed in the kitchen by herself. Erza, Gray, Wendy and Gajeel sat outside. They were all thinking about last night still, the dark warning left by the black mage Zeref.

"How can we be so sure it was him?" Gray mumbled quietly.

"After what happened to this town, it's best we don't take any warnings lightly" Erza retorted.

Gajeel stared at the black cat across from him who was sleeping soundly, "I thought they put down END for good. How is he going to come back? Isn't he suppose to be human now?"

Erza looked at him, "It was only suppose to be a theory of it working, Gajeel. We don't know what really happened. You saw Serena destroy the black book. Whatever that was"

Wendy mumbled quietly, "If you don't mind me saying this but...i think that book was a fake" All eyes fell onto her.

"What do you mean squirt?" Gajeel spoke, eyeing the small dragonslayer. Wendy turned her gaze towards him then looked at everyone else.

"END's book was never destroyed. Lucy still had it in her bag. I think that black book was a decoy" she mumbled a bit louder.

"You don't mean..." Erza mouthed quietly, "Was Natsu even human after that ritual was done?"

Gray let out a loud sigh, "Great, just what we've needed. Lucy walking around aimlessly with a time bomb"

Erza shot a deathly glare at the ice mage, "Gray..."

Gray slammed his hands onto the table and stood up as he glared down to Erza, "Well you all heard the old man. Zeref is getting END back and then he is going to have him destroy everything. Best solution we have now is getting that book and destroying it!" he yelled.

Gajeel sighed, "Ice princess has a point" Gray shot him a stare before nodding towards him.

"See he agrees" despite not liking the insult.

"What about Lucy? You think she's just going to hand us the book like that. Have you not seen what happened to her? She went catatonic after he disappeared for a few days!" Erza slammed her hands down as she stood up as well.

Gray moved towards Erza's face, staring her down, "She's going to have to deal with it one way or another" pointing a finger at Erza, "What's more important, a relationship that could possibly end regardless of her feelings or having the world destroyed entirely because we hesitated, Erza. As far as i can see, There is no choice right now"

Wendy walked away quickly, unable to give an answer because either way. Someone was going to be hurt and she knows who it was going to be.

The air grew silent and Gajeel's eyes fell to the incoming company, "Speak of the devil" he grumbled. Erza and Gray looked towards the guilds gate. Lucy and Natsu were back. Gray looked back to Erza, "It's up to you how you want to tell them. I'm not doing it because if i do, I'll just probably end up freezing the bastard" Gray shot Natsu a deathly glare before stomping away from the guild.

...

Natsu looked at the few people at the table, "What's got them riled up?" he mumbled to Lucy.

Lucy watched Erza's face fill with pain as she got closer, "I don't know"

In the pit of her stomach, it felt like it knotted. After the nightmare she had last night, she knew something was going to happen. Every time she dreamed of something as vivid as that, something always happened. She swallowed heavily and looked back to Natsu's bright green eyes, "Lets find out" she whispered.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Sun Village Ost"**_

* * *

Lucy sat there in silence. Natsu was standing in the far corner, unable to say anything after everything they've heard. Lucy's heart was beating rapidly trying to process everything. Makarov hasn't left his office still and Erza watched Lucy carefully, waiting...begging for the girl to say something. Anything.

Natsu was left in his thoughts. Terrified for Lucy and for himself. For one moment, one fleeting moment he thought he was free. Free to grow old with the one human he cared so deeply for. He started to laugh quietly to himself realizing now there was no such thing as a happy ending. He knew the moment he tries to reach for it, something comes and rips it away from him. Leaving nothing behind. He held a hand over his face, thinking heavily on what's going to happen. Natsu hated his brother, hated every fiber of his existence. He wished he stayed dead, dead with his family but, if that happened he never would've met this most precious girl. The one he couldn't stop thinking about. The girl who lit his world up brightly after the constant centuries of darkness.

Lucy turned to look at Natsu. Seeing him so far away from her made her chest tighten. Lucy bit her lip as she watched from the corner of her eye, Erza shifting uncomfortably in her spot, "Erza..." Lucy managed to choke out. Her voice sounded distant, it didn't match at all how she felt right now. She spent all of last night with Natsu. Wanting to sink herself in that moment but, life wasn't letting her. Far from it. It was like it teased her, dangling the future she could've had in front of her and then immediately pulling it away the moment she tried to reach for it. Lucy felt like she was going to cry but, after hearing about the situation, she had no time to think about such things. Natsu was in trouble and she is terrified she wont be able to save him this time.

' _Protect what you hold dear_ ' the voice she heard before echoed in her head. Lucy looked at Erza quickly, "just give me one moment, please, Erza"

Erza nodded towards her, "Of course" She watched as the blonde ran over to Natsu who buried himself in the far corner of the guild, "Lucy, what're you going to do now" the scarlet mage whispered quietly.

Lucy reached for Natsu's shoulder. She watched as his face changed from anger and frustration to sadness and pain. His dark green eyes glanced at her, "Lucy..." he spoke roughly, "What should i do?" his eyes stared sadly at her.

Lucy felt her heart drop and reached towards his face. A tear fell down her cheek as she buried herself close to him. He wrapped his arms around her gently, breathing in her fiery sweet scent. He swallowed heavily, knowing he's going to have to tell her immediately about the return of his powers.

"I don't know. That nightmare i saw last night...you don't think..." Natsu immediately held a finger to her lips, shushing her gently.

"Don't even think about it, Luce. You know very darn well I'll never do that to you. Not ever" he said sternly.

Lucy sobbed and shook her head, "This is different though. Maybe now i know why i saw you like that. It was you i saw, Natsu but, what if that wasn't you, Like someone was controlling you"

Natsu's heart stopped as his breathing became heavier. A pain shot through his chest knowing she might be speaking the truth. Maybe her nightmare was a warning and he was being stupid enough to brush it away, "Then i should get away from here. Far away and lock myself up. Lucy i can't live with the thoughts of hurting you any more than i have. I can't...i refuse to let that happen"

Lucy sobbed and pulled onto his shirt tightly, "Then I'll stop it. I'll do whatever it takes, Natsu. You promised you'll never leave me" more tears fell. Her suppose to be perfect day was falling to pieces. The moment of happiness she felt was slipping away from her fingers so quickly. She glanced up at him, seeing the pain in his eyes. She can see he was trying to find another answer but, was falling short of it.

"I might not have a choice Lucy. If anything happens to you because of me...I'll never forgive myself" he breathed.

"Leaving me isn't an answer, Natsu. I can't stand the thought of being apart from you, there has to be something we can do" she wiped the tears from her eyes when she heard someone walk behind them. Makarov looked up at them, eyes narrowing to Natsu.

"I think you have something to share with us, Natsu" the old man spoke loudly.

Lucy looked up to Natsu confused, "What's he talking about, Natsu..?" her eyes watched his grow wide before seeing him curse under his breath.

Natsu moved away from her slightly and averted his gaze, "You can sense it, can't you?" he breathed angrily.

Erza walked next to them, "What's wrong? Master what happened?"

Makarov glared up at the pink-haired boy, "It seems Natsu never lost his powers after all, Isn't that right?"

Lucy's mouth fell slightly and stared at Natsu, "Natsu..." she spoke confusedly.

Natsu gritted his teeth and looked at the fragile girl beside him. He lifted his hand up slightly and everyone watched as his dark flames flickered off him. Lucy took a step back, "How long..." she breathed.

Natsu closed his eyes and mumbled under his breath, "After..." he looked at her gently. "After you've fell asleep the first time, i felt something in my chest. It hurt for only a moment until...i realized what it was. My magic came back. The ritual thing they've done only put it to sleep for a short time it seems" he said quietly.

Erza and Makarov looked at Lucy questioningly, although Makarov knows what they did last night. Brushing that thought aside he looked back towards Natsu, "Where you going to tell us or hide it until it was too late, Natsu?"

Natsu glared down at him, "I wasn't going to hide it. What was i suppose to do? Say hey, look, i got my powers back, what now?" he hissed.

Lucy walked towards him slowly and held onto his arm gently, "It's okay" she spoke. Natsu glanced down to her, "It's okay, Natsu. At least now you can defend yourself right?" she looked up at him with slight hope. However Natsu felt something was off. He didn't know how to explain it. It was a strange feeling, almost as if he was disappointed not being human after all.

He grumbled under his breath as he averted his eyes, "It's not something to be happy about. It's just a matter of time before he decides to show up again.

"You'll fight him back won't you. You won't let him dictate your life. Natsu this is your chance, to take back what've you lost" she pleaded. She buried her face into his arms again.

Natsu growled slightly under his breath and looked down towards the old man, "I'm afraid it won't be that simple, Lucy"

"what do you mean?" she spoke quietly into him. Makarov raised an eyebrow at him as he listened.

Natsu closed his eyes and almost hissed the words he spoke, "If Zeref dies. I'll die with him"

The room fell silent and Lucy pulled away from him, looking into his eyes. They were tinted red again and deep in her gut she knew, he wasn't lying.

* * *

 **Now for the preview!**

* * *

*~... _"Lucy..." he looked at her confused when he was suddenly pulled into the lake behind her. With a large splash, Lucy moved away and started to laugh. She never laughed so hard for as long as she can remember. She stood up and pushed the dripping hair away from her face, seeing the wide eyed expression on Natsu..._ ~*

 **See you next time!**


	23. Chapter 22: Promises

**AN: hey guys! another chapter with more fluff in the mix! X3 Can anyone predict by now of whats going to happen? I mean, without saying too much it should be kind of obvious, if not well, there's only a handful of chapters left so enjoy! X3  
**

 **...and these past couple weeks have been amazing with how much support you guys have been giving me and to this story, I cant express the amount of joy i feel right now... ty all so much again (;^;)/**

 ***~Preview at the end~***

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail Sad theme (Piano Version/extended)"**_

* * *

Lucy stared at him blankly, the words echoed in her head repeatedly, ' _If Zeref dies, I die with him_ ' She couldn't hear anyone call her name in that moment. She couldn't even feel her heart that was beating so heavily it should've broke through her rib cage. The only happy moments she had, started to feel like a dream. Something she conjured up in the back of her mind. Lucy started laughing and it left the people around her confused. Natsu held her in his grip firmly and tried calling her name again. Feeling panicked, Natsu looked to Makarov and the old man was just as confused.

"Quick, someone get Wendy" Erza yelled as she ran over towards the hysterical girl.

Natsu was at a loss. He didn't know what was going on anymore. One minute she looked distant and then next she just started laughing. She wouldn't even respond to him calling to her. He nudged her slightly and she kept laughing. Natsu picked her up quickly and they all walked to the infirmary. Makarov went back to his office quickly while Erza ran off to look for Wendy. Gray came rushing back in after Erza told him the news.

"What the hell did you do this time, idiot" Gray glared at the demon.

Dark flames flickered off of Natsu as he glared harshly at the demon slayer, "Back off, i don't have time to listen to you" he hissed.

Gray suddenly had cold air swirling around him, "Oh, so it was true. END did come back after all" Slamming his fists together as more cold air radiated, "Maybe now i can get to knock you senseless"

Natsu snarled at him and Erza came back running in with Wendy beside her. Erza waved her hand as two swords flew by both boys, "That's enough from the both of you. We're here because of Lucy, not to see you guys test each other's Ego"

Natsu snarled again before turning back to Lucy. Gray grumbled under his breath before looking to Erza, "Mind explaining to me what the hell happened? I swear, i can't relax for one moment without something happening"

Makarov came back into the room with a small bottle. Without saying anything, he walked over to Lucy and pointed a finger at Natsu. A light shined brightly on the tip of his finger before the boy suddenly was knocked out cold. All eyes fell to the guild master, feeling speechless. Makarov stood by Lucy and dripped the liquid over her lips carefully. Lucy coughed a few times before being knocked out cold too.

"...What just happened?" Gray whispered, "Master...why did you?..."

Makarov sighed and turned to them quietly. He looked towards Natsu and snapped his fingers quickly.

The demon fluttered his eyes open and looked at the small old man. Natsu growled, steam escaping his lips and had his dark flames burst out around him. Everyone was suddenly on their toes except the guild master, "What the hell did you just do, old man?" he snarled harshly in his direction.

Makarov wasn't phased, "If i didn't put you down, you would've tried stopping me. Now listen to me brat, I only put Lucy to sleep for a moment. Allowing her to forget the last hour. Whatever you do..." his eyes looked to everyone, "No one is to repeat what happened today, You understand? Not a word is to escape your lips. We can't afford to lose her again" he left the room quickly as the room stayed quiet.

Natsu's eyes watched them before he walked towards the girl again. His heart squeezed painfully as he realized what just happened. Lucy had a meltdown and it was because of him. Natsu clenched his fists tightly together, frustrated by everything.

Gray looked to Natsu, "I'm sorry,,," he breathed quietly. Natsu snapped his gaze towards the ice mage, looking a bit perplexed, "As much as i hate to admit this, I might have an idea of what you're going through right now.." he said quietly. Erza and Wendy looked at him.

"Do you now?.." his gaze locked onto Gray, "Do tell. I need a laugh right about now" he hissed.

Gray glared up to him, "That moment when you feel like you've lost the one thing in this world. The one reason for living. A moment so painful that even if you were hanging on the edge of life and death, You'd rather die then see her smile disappear"

Natsu's face fell and looked away from the ice mage. He had nothing to say because he had a point. Gray sighed and held the side of his head, "I felt like that too at one point. That's why I've sent my girl away because i wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to her. I'd never forgive myself" he trailed off as the words echoed in the demon's head.

"Maybe you're not so bad after all" Natsu spoke barely above a whisper. Gray scoffed and walked out of the room.

Wendy moved over towards the bed and held a hand over Lucy. She closed her eyes as she tried to feel out Lucy's health.

Natsu watched her carefully and sat onto the bed. Erza moved over to them and grimaced at the pink-haired boy, "If something happens" she said quietly, "Let us know. I'll give you some privacy" the scarlet mage left quickly and Wendy opened her eyes. Only a moment later, Lucy's eyes fluttered open. Natsu snapped his gaze towards her and stood up. He brushed her face gently and the small dragonslayer left the room quickly without a word.

"Hey" he murmured quietly.

Lucy smiled up at him, "Hey there" she held his hand that was brushing against her face and kissed it gently. She sat up and looked around, "Why am i here?" she mumbled confused.

Makarov walked in and smiled up at her, "Good to see you awake, Lucy"

Lucy's eyes narrowed and repeated her question. Natsu looked to Makarov for help, "Mind telling me why i'm here?" she moved out of the bed and the old man laughed lightly, "You walked into the guild hall and slid on some water. Your head bumped a nearby table and Natsu quickly pulled you here. You fell unconscious for a bit. Was quite the scare, Lucy. Are you feeling better now?" he smiled up at her then looked to Natsu and nodded.

Natsu swallowed heavily and grimaced towards Lucy, "Always so clumsy, aren't you?" Makarov walked away with a wave as he went to pass the story around.

"Did i really fall in front of everyone?...I don't..." she mumbled confusedly.

Natsu chuckled nervously, "It seems you've got a small concussion, easy to forget the small moments. You'll be fine though. Wendy looked after you" he smiled and brushed her hair back.

Lucy grimaced, "Sorry" she mumbled.

Natsu leaned in towards her and kissed her cheek, "Accidents happen. Don't worry about it" He pulled her over and held her tightly into his arms, "How would you feel if i said let's go spend the day together?" He smiled brightly at her. Hiding the pained gut feeling he had since last night.

Lucy beamed at him, "That'd be amazing!" She hugged him tightly, "Let me go grab my bag and then we can go"

"Be careful Luce, Don't need you falling again" She laughed as she skipped out of the room humming.

Natsu's face fell as he watched her disappear from his sight. He looked down towards his hand and started to tremble, ' _I'll make the most out of this, i swear on it. If it's the last thing I'll ever do_ " He squeezed his eyes shut, ' _I'll make this a day she'll never forget, something she can always look back on before i..._ "

"Natsu! I'm ready" Lucy smiled as she walked back into the room. Natsu snapped out of his thoughts and walked towards her smiling.

"Let's go then" he took her hand and started to walk out of the room with her.

"Where are we going first?" she spoke curiously as she held the bag over her shoulder.

"Where ever you want to go, How does the beach sound?" he watched the girl's face shine even brighter.

"that sounds like fun" she smiled then Makarov stepped behind them.

"Going somewhere?" he asked curiously.

Lucy beamed at him as if there wasn't a worry in the world, "Natsu is taking me to the beach!"

"Isn't that lovely, do have fun and Natsu.." he looked towards the demon, "Take care of her, please" Natsu nodded and took Lucy's hand.

"I will" he promised. He smiled down towards the blonde as Makarov watched the small exchange. Deep down he knew something bad was going to happen, so for now, he was going to let the girl enjoy her last few moments of pure happiness. Without another word he watched them leave the guild peacefully.

"You're really going to let them leave like that? Gray said behind the guild master.

The old man sighed, "Let them enjoy their moments together, Gray. Everyone deserves it"

* * *

Lucy pulled off her towel and ran across the soft sand. The warm summer breeze filled her lungs as the salty air clung to her skin. She turned around to see Natsu in his swim trunks. He was setting up an umbrella and from the looks of things, they were alone on the beach.

"Natsu! Don't worry about that! Come, let's play in the waves for a bit" She skipped over to him.

"Then who's going to set this up if i don't? Going to need a spot to rest after I'm done with you" he grinned up to her. He secured the umbrella and Lucy laid out the towel.

"Okay so you have a point and now we're done, Let's goo-" she grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the ocean. Natsu laughed watching the small girl pull him along.

"OI! What's the hurry anyway?" he called over to her as she splashed into the water.

She turned around, "What? I just don't want to waste this precious day on the little things. I want to have some fun" She splashed the water at him.

He coughed and wiped the salty water away, his eyes narrowed, "Oh, I see..." He kicked a huge splash of water at her, making her squeal into a fit of laughs.

They continued splashing water at one another until a large wave came there way, "Lucy, look out!" he yelled but the wind carried his voice away.

"What?" she called out but it was too late. The oceans wave pushed her over and Natsu ran to her quickly.

"LUCY! Lucy, are you alright? Answer me!" he looked around panicking. Lucy stood up from the water, coughing heavily and waved to him.

"Yeah, I'm fine" she coughed some more and Natsu pulled her out of the water. He carried her to the small area they set up and handed her some water.

"Sorry.." she mumbled.

"huh? about what?" he looked at her confused.

"Making you worry again. I should've paid more attention." she mumbled a bit louder. She looked at him with her shining brown eyes.

Taking a deep breath he shook his head, "It's alright, you're just accident prone today" he snickered at her.

Lucy playfully punched his arm and he faked a painful yelp, "That hurt Lucy!" he fell over holding his arm.

She huffed and placed her hands onto her hips, "Oh you overly dramatic boy. Get up and start putting some sunblock on me before i get burned" she handed him a bottle and he laughed.

"What so, first you abuse me and now you're demanding from me, unbelievable" holding a hand over his chest. Lucy glowered at him before laughing as well.

He opened the bottle as Lucy laid out on her chest, relaxing. He started to place the lotion on her when she spoke quietly, "Everything is just so perfect right now" she mumbled.

"Is that so?" he spoke gently. "Tell me about it" he started massaging her shoulders and she squealed in delight before talking.

"Got to see my mother again. Then last night was just perfect and now this. A day of just you and me. I couldn't have asked for anything better" She smiled brightly at him.

However that smile somehow felt like it burned him. After seeing the hysteria she went through earlier, he found it so hard believe that this is the same girl. Something so trivial to him, broke her. A pain shot through his chest picturing what will happen to her once Zeref...

"Natsu what's wrong?" She leaned onto her elbows, seeing the pained expression lingering on his face. He shook his head and smiled down to her. This time though, the smile didn't reach his eyes at all.

"Nothing, today is a perfect day like you've said. I have something planned for us later" he spoke gently. He finished putting on the lotion and laid onto his side next to her.

Dropping the previous thoughts, she leaned her head onto her arm as her other hand reached towards his face. Brushing back the long pink locks of hair, "Such as?" she spoke while watching his green eyes twinkle from the sunlight.

"It's a surprise" he grabbed her hand and kissed it gently.

"I like surprises" she smiled at him softly.

"Good, then you'll like this one" He leaned into her and kissed her softly.

* * *

The sun was starting to set and Natsu was helping Lucy pack up their things from the beach.

"Is that everything?" Lucy called out as she looked around.

Natsu looked at her bags and nodded, "I think so" She grabbed onto his hand as he led her off the beach.

He still never told her where they were going. Lucy only followed him after they dropped off their things at the guild and left just as quickly. They walked through the forest for over an hour.

"Where are we going?" she asked, watching the sun disappear in the distance.

"It'll ruin the surprise if i tell you now" he grumbled.

He pulled her closer to him, making her walk in the front and he led her towards an open field. There was a small lake nearby and a table already set up. Her eyes filled with happy tears and was overwhelmed from the surprise. There was food set up on a small cart, a blanket set out with a dimly lit candle. There was also some roses laid around that trailed towards the lake.

"This is...so...beautiful, Natsu" she was awestruck with how beautiful the scenery was. It looked almost as if...

"So does that mean you like it?" he grinned down to her. He nuzzled his nose to the side of her head.

"Yes, i do. It's perfectly romantic" He pulled her gently towards the small table and placed food onto their plates.

"When did you get all of this done?" she asked curiously. She doesn't remember Natsu leaving her side for even a moment.

Natsu winked to her as he sat across the table, "A secret" holding a finger to his lips.

She blushed and looked at the food in front of her. It was similar to when he first cooked for her. Taking a bite, memories started to flood in her mind, "This is..."

"The first meal I've cooked for you" he finished. He placed down his fork and Lucy started to sniffle, "Lucy, What's wrong?"

She shook her head, "This is all so much. I'm just so happy right now"

"Really..." shaking his head before chuckling, "Maybe i should slow down then.." Lucy looked up at him and placed a hand over his. She rubbed her thumb on the backside of his hand.

"Or maybe it's just enough. I'm just being a little over emotional, don't mind me. Thank you, Natsu." Her small smile was shining brighter than the candle in front of him, taking his breath away. He held her hand to his face and kissed it gently.

"Anything for you, Lucy" he spoke as he closed his eyes, "I'll do anything to protect you, to protect that smile. I promise" murmuring quietly. He heard Lucy's heart skip a beat. Peeking up at her, he saw that she was blushing tremendously. He grinned, showing his canines that glimmered under the faint candle light. Natsu was still amazed with how much this girl meant to him, how much he changed because of her. He really couldn't picture his life anymore without her existence.

"Lets take a dip in the lake after we eat" he winked at her then started to eat. Lucy turned a brighter shade of red and nodded.

"O-okay" she mumbled nervously and they continued to eat in silence.

He smiled at her every time she glanced up at him. Lucy had a weird nagging feeling in the bottom of her gut. Almost as if it was screaming at her in protest that something was wrong. However she crushed the thoughts. She didn't want to ruin these perfect moments with Natsu. She loved him deeply, feeling like she was living in a dream. She felt guilty for hoping this was a dream and not wanting to wake up from it.

They placed down their forks and Natsu stretched up his arms. Lucy stood up and placed their plates onto the cart. He stood up as well and started walking towards the small lake. Without a warning, he started to pull off his shirt without a care in the world.

"Natsu..." she mumbled nervously. However it didn't stop her from staring at his backside. The well-defined muscle tones was easily noticeable. Her eyes started to trace every bit of it until he turned around.

"Stare any more and I'm going to have holes in my back, Lucy" he laughed at her and her face went beet-red. Huffing, she turned around and crossed her arms. She didn't even hear Natsu coming up behind her. He picked her up into his arms and threw her onto his shoulders.

"HEY PUT ME DOWN!" she squealed loudly.

"Nope" he said just as loudly. He walked back over towards the lake and sat down carefully. He pulled Lucy onto his lap and stared at her annoyed expression. He laughed even more so from it, "What's wrong? I didn't mind you staring at me" tucking the bangs from her eyes towards the side of her face. He kissed her forehead and she sighed.

"It's not that" her eyes looked to the water.

"Then what's the matter?" he asked curiously with a hint of amusement. Lucy suddenly had a devilish idea and grinned at him. Natsu raised an eyebrow at her, "Lucy..." he looked at her confused when he was suddenly pulled into the lake behind her. With a large splash, Lucy moved away and started to laugh. She never laughed so hard for as long as she can remember. She stood up and pushed the dripping hair away from her face, seeing the wide eyed expression on Natsu.

"Bet you didn't see that one coming" she continued to laugh as he narrowed his gaze towards her.

"...That does it" he playfully growled at Lucy and tackled her. They wrestled in the water for awhile, taking turns dunking each other in. It didn't take long for Lucy to tear off her clothes, the drenched, clinging clothing was starting to irritate her. The light shined over them brightly and Lucy never felt happier. After they got tired from playing, Lucy leaned into his arms as they sat in the lake in completely peaceful silence. Natsu rubbed her arm gently while kissing the top of her head a few times.

"Everything is just so perfect. The only thing missing now is a home for us to go back to" she whispered quietly.

"What do you mean? Home is wherever you are, Luce" he whispered to her.

"I mean, a place _we_ can go back to" she turned her head towards him and started to play with his pink hair that hung over his eyes.

"A house?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah. A home for just us and maybe start a family of our own." The words hung in the air. Natsu didn't say anything and Lucy watched as his expression changed, "Or...not. It doesn't have to be now.." her voice trailed and she turned away.

"It's fine, Luce. I'm just a little taken aback. I'm still getting use to this" he said quite honestly.

"...and if i didn't know better, you could've fooled me" she sighed and snuggled closer to him. They stayed like that for awhile until Natsu whispered quietly. Lucy almost missed it.

"I would like that too"

Lucy turned to look at him again and smiled. She kissed his lips gently and he returned it.

They got out of the lake and started to lay down onto the blanket that was fixed neatly. Lucy felt tired after this long day and was wishing it would never end. The thought of sleep bothered her but easily forgot it when Natsu hugged her from behind. She turned to look up towards the stars that shined brightly in the night sky. Lucy's eyes widened when she saw a shooting star fly by. Quickly tapping Natsu's arm she pointed to the sky.

"Natsu look, a shooting star!" she said happily. Her eyes twinkled while looking at the stars. Natsu looked at her and couldn't help but smile himself. He was feeling tired but, for her amusement, he looked up towards the sky with her.

"Where?" he asked as he leaned into her. Right when he asked, another star flew by. His eyes widened. The small little things he always ignored suddenly seemed all new. All because of _her_.

"It's so beautiful isn't it?"

He looked at her carefully when another painful sting shot through his chest all because he was still feeling guilty about earlier. Her shining brown eyes shimmered like the stars. He didn't need to look up at the sky to see them. He had one of his own down in front of him. His own personal shooting star. The one that flew past him so many times and always came back brighter than ever. He closed his eyes and leaned into her gently. Lucy sighed happily and started leaning onto him as well.

Her fingers stroked through his pink hair gently, "Do you think we'll always be together, Natsu?" she said quietly.

"I sure hope so. I'm never leaving your side, Lucy. Not now, not ever" he murmured while listening to her heart beat.

"I really hope maybe one day, we can grow old and have little kids at our feet. Whether you agree with it or not" she laughed quietly.

Natsu chuckled, "If that's what you want" he said before allowing himself to fall asleep. Lucy suddenly heard him purring and she tilted her head towards him.

She kissed his forehead before murmuring under her breath, "I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, Natsu. No matter what, I'll always be here and I'll always love you" and she fell asleep shortly after listening to his quiet purr's echoing in her ears.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Absolute Zero Silver Ost (extended)"**_

* * *

Natsu shot up awake, feeling a strange pain his chest. He blinked a few times only to realize he was in a dark forest. Somewhere painfully familiar. He stood up, "Lucy!?" he yelled loudly.

He started to run through the dark trees, "LUCY!" he yelled again. Nothing. Natsu started to panic, holding his hands over his head, "Damn it!"

He started running through the woods again until he tripped over something. He looked down and suddenly paled. He fell over as bile rose in his throat. Moving to the side he started coughing it up away, feeling highly disgusted with himself. When he finally calmed down, he looked back over to the body he tripped over. Lucy's bloodied body and her lifeless, pale-brown eyes. His hands moved shakily towards her, "Lucy..." tears started to fall down his face, "My god, Lucy.." he started to choke between sobs, feeling his words fall apart.

He heard branches crack behind him and he shot up onto his feet, growling furiously.

"My, My, dear brother what happened to you" a boy spoke. Natsu froze in his steps, face paling further after realizing who it was. Natsu turned around to see a black haired boy smiling up at him.

"Zeref" Natsu snarled fiercely, "What have you done?"

"What _I_ have done?" Zeref sighed waving his finger at him, "You mean, Look what _you_ have done, dear brother" he then pointed to the body on the ground. "This is what happens when you get careless, Natsu"

Natsu snarled louder, "Don't joke with me. What the hell are you doing here?!"

Zeref smiled at him and held out his arms, "I came to get you back. Are you not happy to see me?"

Natsu growled and swung at him. Zeref took a few steps back, "You're the last person i ever wanted to see again!" he roared angrily.

"Oh but, Natsu. I've missed you so much. I had to see my little brother again and here you are" Zeref smiled.

Natsu lunged at him again and Zeref grabbed his hand, twisting it back. Natsu yelped from the pain, "Pathetic. Is this how i raised you to be, END?" he spoke bitterly.

Natsu glared up at him, eyes glowing red and dark flames started to flicker off of him, "You never raised me. You abandoned me the moment i was reincarnated, you bastard" he growled between his teeth.

"It was for your own good. Look at you now, Natsu. Whipped by a mere human girl. I'm thoroughly ashamed of you" he spoke harshly while shaking his head disapprovingly. Zeref moved towards the dead body and held it up by the hair.

Natsu glowered to him before curling his lips back, baring his sharp teeth, "Put her down before i tear you apart, Zeref"

"Now that's the face i missed seeing. The look I've wanted to see for so long, for that moment when you finally give me the peace that i have yearned for.." he spoke gently as he raised the body higher. Natsu lunged at him again only to have Lucy's body thrown at him.

"I'm going to kill you Zeref!" he yelled on the top of his lungs.

His arms curled around the girls body and Zeref kneeled in front of him, "Not until i pay back those precious little fairies. How dare they change my little brother on me" he said menacingly, "In less than a week, I'll have you personally destroy that place, burning it down to the ground and I'll make sure that little blonde of yours watches" Lips curling up into a sinister dark smile, "and then she'll watch as you tear the life from her, Natsu" As soon as Natsu tried to lunge at him again, he faded into the air like smoke. Natsu turned around when he was suddenly thrown into the middle of a dark area. Flames combusted around him as he saw Lucy appear in front of him.

"Lucy..." he choked out. He reached his hand out towards her and stopped when tears fell down her face, "LUCY!" he yelled. Soon as his fingers touched her, she combusted into flames. Her screams echoed loudly in his ears as he watched his precious girl burn in front of him, "No...no no no" he fell onto his knees grabbing his head. "LUCY!" he crouched over screaming in agony.

* * *

Lucy jolted awake hearing Natsu screaming. Her eyes widened when she saw dark flames encircling him.

"NATSU!" she yelled. She touched his shoulders, shaking him awake, "NATSU WAKE UP!" she yelled again. It took her almost five minutes until he suddenly shot up. She fell over onto him and then readjusted herself. Lucy looked up at him as the flames slowly receded. Her chest tightened painfully when she saw tears falling from his face. His eyes were dark and empty. She moved her hand towards his face and he finally blinked at her.

"Lucy...Lucy..." he suddenly fell over to her, squeezing her tightly. Inhaling her scent heavily as his body continued to tremble, "I thought I've lost you" he mumbled quietly.

Lucy swallowed thickly, "I'm right here Natsu. I'm alright. Calm down please.." she murmured. Giving him small butterfly kisses across his neck and to his face, "I'll always be here" she nuzzled her face into his neck and stayed there. Brushing her fingers into his hair as he continued to quietly sob into her. Neither of them let go for a long time. Lucy listened to his heartbeat slow down and shortly after he was asleep again. Lucy didn't move, she didn't fall asleep. She stayed still without a word, making sure he'll be okay for the rest of the night.

* * *

The sun started to rise slowly and Lucy continued to brush her fingers into his hair. Never in her whole time with him has she seen him like that. It terrified her. She was normally the one screaming from nightmares, so she wondered what could've possibly happened to him. Her thoughts lingered over the fact that his dark flames has returned but, it didn't bother her though, not as much as his pain-filled expression. Lucy closed her eyes, listening to his heart beat. She smiled gently knowing it was beating for her.

It didn't take long for Natsu to finally wake up. His eyes were still swollen from the tears.

"You alright Natsu?" she whispered as she watched him stand up slowly. He looked around for a bit, looking for something. She was unsure what it was but, stood up with him shortly after, "Natsu...?"

He snapped his gaze to her, "Lucy.." he spoke carefully. Lucy can feel the tension from him. Feeling nervous, she moved closer to him. He took her hand gently and held it to his face, kissing it softly as he spoke quietly, "Lucy, i need to do something. Go to the guild ahead of me, alright?"

Lucy bit her lip, "What is it you have to do?"

He shook his head at her, "Don't worry about it. I promise I'll be back later. Please for my sake, get to the guild and wait for me there, alright?"

Lucy nodded even though she felt entirely uncomfortable about this whole thing. However she didn't want to press it further. There was always time for answers later. They've gathered their things and she looked back towards him, "Any idea when you'll get back?" she spoke as she watched him look up towards the sky.

"I don't know" he smiled down to her, the same smile that didn't seem to reach his eyes, "Wait for me" he started to walk off quickly before jumping into the air. He spread out his red scaled wings and flew off without another word. Lucy watched his retreating figure and slowly started to walk back towards Fairy Tail.

* * *

Lucy felt slightly frustrated and empty. Her entire walk back to the guild, she couldn't seem to shake that sad smile from Natsu out of her mind. She wanted to know so badly about what he was thinking. What he planned to do at the moment. Lucy breathed a heavy sigh, not realizing Happy that was now floating in front of her.

"LUCY!" Happy called to her loudly.

"Oh, hello there, Happy" she smiled faintly. Happy flew onto her head and looked down at her.

"What's wrong Lucy?" he spoke with concern, "Where's Natsu?"

Lucy bit her lip again and frowned, "He said he had to go do something. Where is everyone?"

"Everyone is waiting for you in the guild! i was sent out just now to look for you" he said and flew in front of her again.

"Okay" Happy curled into her arms as she walked in the guild.

When Lucy opened the doors, she saw everyone's eyes turning to her. Feeling nervous she waved at them, "Hey guys, What's up?" She walked in slowly when Makarov gestured towards her.

"Hello there dear. Please sit down." Lucy obeyed and sat across from the group of people.

"Finally we can get this started" Gajeel huffed feeling slightly annoyed. Laxus was sitting by him, leaning his elbow onto the table that was holding his head up.

"Tell me about it. Sitting here for about an hour, was about to go look for you myself and drag you back" Laxus retorted.

Erza glowered towards the complaining men, "That's enough out of you two. Now..." turning her gaze towards Lucy, "Glad you can join us, Lucy. How're you feeling?" Lucy blinked at them a few times and sat Happy onto the table in front of her.

"I'm fine. What's going on?" Gray shot a glance towards Makarov mumbling something she couldn't quite pick up. Makarov nodded and Gray turned back to Lucy.

"How much do you remember about yesterday, Lucy. Before you fell down?" he asked curiously.

Lucy's face pinched with confusion, "Uhm..." She closed her eyes as she held a hand towards the side of her face, thinking. An image of piercing red eyes flashed in her mind making Lucy flinch in her seat. She dropped her hand when her eyes widened from remembering, "Natsu..." she breathed. Makarov jumped up and walked to her, already prepared. He kneeled in front of her and spoke gently.

"Lucy, What do you remember?"

"The nightmare i had...and Natsu...It's a bit fuzzy though. I remember something about Zeref..." and her voice trailed. Another image flashed in her mind.

 _'Soon, This world will burn along with you in it. I promise'_ the boy smiled and Lucy stood up.

"Zeref...Came to me in my dreams" she spoke quietly. She looked up towards Makarov, "I think Natsu went to go find him. He left me earlier saying he had to go take care of something and..." her voice starting shaking, "He had a nightmare last night. I don't know what happened but he was so scared, Master. He was so scared and kept repeating how glad he was to see me alive..." A tear fell down her cheek.

Makarov took a deep breath and turned around towards his guild, "This is indeed a problem. We can't have Natsu finding him!" suddenly slamming a fist down.

"Well shit..." Gajeel grumbled, "If that flaming lizard gets near his master, who knows what will happen. One thing is for certain..." pointing a finger to Lucy, "...You can say bye to your little boyfriend" Lucy's face went red and she sat back down, feeling terrified out of her mind.

Makarov sighed, "Lucy, did he say at all where he was going?" turning to look back at her.

She shook her head slowly, "No, he didn't. He promised me he'll come back here. Told me to wait for him"

Makarov paled and turned to look at the table, "I'm afraid we're doomed after all" Lucy slid back in her chair, nervously started to scratch at her palm. Trying so desperately to recall the previous night. However, nothing was coming back to her, she couldn't see anything past the blood red eyes that flashed in her mind. Lucy had her head hanging low while the rest of the guild started whispering quietly to one another.

"Natsu, come back safely, please" she spoke under her breath.

* * *

 **Now for the preview!**

* * *

*~ _..."NO! GET AWAY FROM ME!" he cried loudly before being smothered by the black beast. Natsu raised his hand into the air as a tear fell down his face. Moments later the creature disappeared and Natsu's hand fell to the ground. Zeref walked over to him slowly, "It's good to have you back however, let's get this over with, END"..._ ~*

 **See you next time!**


	24. Chapter 23: Zeref Vs Natsu

***~AN & Preview at the end~***

* * *

' _I have to find him_ ' Natsu flew in the air fast, heading towards the direction he felt himself pulling towards. The area around him became a blur, the faster he flew, the more closer he felt. His skin was starting to burn, leaving small fire embers behind. ' _I just hope, Lucy will be safe. It's the only thing i can hope for_ ' Her bright smiling face flashed in his mind, how it tore him to leave her behind. He promised her that he'll be back. Back as soon as he can, however, deep down he knew that was a lie too. Holding a hand to his face, his flying started to slow down. Natsu chuckled to himself, realizing, he might never see her again. He spent the entire day with her yesterday, living in the moment for her. Only her. It felt like a dream, a dream that came to an end all too quickly. Without another thought, he buried that feeling. Buried it so far, so he doesn't fly back and take her away from everything.

* * *

Lucy wandered around the buried town, feeling at a loss. She couldn't help but feel alone despite the people trying to cheer her up. Even Erza who wanted to beat the demon to a pulp before starting to feel guilty. Lucy left the guild shortly after Jellal arrived again. He came by because there was a slight disturbance nearby and it worried him. The celestial mage stopped by a nearby buried creek. She looked up only to realize this use to be her home. The building was half destroyed. Lucy walked through it carefully, hoping she can find anything left of hers. A part of her heart felt crushed the further she dug into it. It didn't take long before she started to fall apart in tears again. Natsu ran off to look for something. People at the guild spoke of Zeref and that very same black mage visited her in her dreams shortly after she saw her mother. Lucy curled into a ball over a large patch of dirt, unable to move any further.

Leo appeared beside her and fell over to the girl who was in tears, "Princess, Are you alright?" his eyes searched around, looking for any sign on what could've possibly happened.

"He's gone, Leo and I have no idea if he's going to come back" Lucy sobbed between words, "...and Zeref promised us he'll be back. I'm just so scared right now, i don't know what to do"

Leo lost his breath and sat back on his knees. Unconsciously brushing the girls shoulders with his hand. His mind wandered between Natsu and Zeref, ' _the stars warned us something might happen. However, so soon? was it always this soon...'_ his eyes fell towards Lucy. It didn't take long for his pupils to shrink from terror. ' _The golden flames and dark flames. There is no way...no way...Lucy...you..'_ He fell over onto the girl and buried her into his arms, ' _Damn it_ ' he thought angrily, ' _There is no way this girl is suppose to do that. There is no way she can fight him. What have you done to her, fate?_ ' his thoughts continued to fall apart.

An hour passed and the girl was asleep in his arms finally. Leo shifted himself upwards and carried her carefully back to the guild. Even though he didn't do much, he felt mentally drained. Coming to that realization of this girls fate, he didn't know what to do. People watched them carefully as he entered through the open doors. Makarov raised an eyebrow at him before jumping off the bar counter. Gray was already in front of the spirit, confused.

"What happened to her Leo?" Gray asked confusedly while eyeing the sleeping blonde.

Leo shook his head, "She's just tired. I found her in the middle of rubble by her old apartment" he said quietly. Makarov walked over towards them and pointed towards a room.

"There are some beds placed there. After everything that's been going on i set up a place to rest. Hopefully she'll tell us what happened when she wakes up" he smiled weakly before suddenly frowning, "Leo, mind if i ask why you're here?"

Leo's face pinched and started to walk towards the bed room, "I came to look for her when i found her crying again" he placed Lucy onto the bed and Makarov stood by the doorway, "There has been something terrible going on with the stars and our king has been spending days looking for the answers but..."

Makarov spoke quietly, "Does it have to do with Lucy?"

The lion spirit turned to look at him, his eyes fell with sorrow and he nodded, "I tried my best looking for any other solution but..." gripping his hand tightly into a fist, "There was none. There was not a single thing around it. Lucy will fight END and she will die"

Gray stepped into the room slowly, eyes widening with horror, "She what...?" he breathed.

Leo started to tremble with anger and small blue flames flickered off his golden armor, "As far as we're concerned, the end of this world is coming. I'd enjoy these last few moments before all hell breaks loose" Eyeing them fearfully before turning away. He didn't say another word as he sat in the bed beside Lucy. His body was still shaking, eyeing his master for what it felt like for the last time he'd see her sleeping face.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Evil Minds Ost"**_

* * *

Lucy started walking around a dark forest, confused as to why she was here. She has long grown use to being put in strange dream realms but, this one left her feeling...scared. It felt dark. So dark, the air was thick with what felt like fear. Lucy searched around warily as if something was watching her. Her foot caught onto a tree root and fell over. Carefully getting up, she looked at her hands only to see dried blood. Lucy's voice hitched when footsteps stopped in front of her.

"It's nice to see you again, Heartfilla" the same calm voice she heard before. Lucy tilted her head up to see the black-haired boy smiling down at her.

"Zeref..." she breathed, feeling her throat suddenly get stuck with words. She moved back only to have her back hit something. Something too warm. Lucy slowly moved her head around until she saw a pair of legs. Her eyes looked up and suddenly filled with shock, "Natsu..." his eyes were closed and was just standing there. Almost like he was lifeless.

"I'm glad introductions are out of the way. So how about we make a deal, Lucy Heartfilla" he kneeled down to her. His pitch black eyes locked onto hers but that same smile still was on his face. Lucy felt a chill run down her spine, terrified out of her mind. She felt like she had no where to run, no where to hide. This Natsu behind her, What was wrong with him?

"W-What deal?" she breathed.

Zeref held a hand out to her, "You give me his book and i promise nothing will happen to you" His eyes held no amusement to match his smile. His words dripped with venom, with lies. The black mage who walked the earth and destroyed everything in his path. The man who created dozens upon dozens of demons to destroy people's lives. The one who created, END.

"What book?" she swallowed heavily. Zeref dropped his smile and snapped his fingers. There was a sudden growl behind Lucy, a familiar growl that wasn't friendly. Her body froze when she glanced from the corner of her eye. Natsu was snarling down at her, crouching. Ready to pounce on his prey the moment it's given the word.

"Should i have to ask you again?" he asked in a low voice, "Don't worry this place is just a dream. He can't kill you here...oh no. It'll just be a simple demonstration of what I will have him do to you. So what will it be?"

Lucy's fist balled tightly and small golden flames flickered off her, "I will not have you hurt him!" she yelled as she threw a punch at Zeref. The boy flipped back quickly, glaring down at the girl with bright red eyes.

"You've got to be joking. You think you can lay a finger on me?" he spoke quietly, almost like a hiss. He stood up and brushed off his clothing, "Give me the book, Lucy. Before the sun sets tomorrow or say good bye to everything you see around you. Every last thing you ever loved will be burned down by him. Don't think for a second I won't" he started to fade into smoke and Lucy turned her head around only to still see the snarling demon. She inched back away from him.

"N-Natsu...please. Wake up.." she breathed, "It's me, Lucy" she tried to get up but stumbled over her legs again. The red-eyed demon snarled at her again, baring its sharp teeth towards her. Lucy picked herself up and started to run away from him. _'That's not Natsu_ ' she thought painfully as she ran with all her might in the dark forest. ' _It's not him, not even close. That...That is_ ' she heard something getting closer. Lucy barely turned her head and saw him inching closer to her. Dark flames were flickering off his body and Lucy screamed in terror. _'That's a demon. A demon made to look like him_ ' A tear fell down her face and again her foot caught onto something - falling face first and head hitting the ground harshly. Lucy coughed and winced as she tried to feel for her head. Everything was hurting. Her head throbbed painfully making her feel dizzy. The footsteps stopped and Lucy didn't move. It was silent. Dead silent. Lucy can only hear her own heart beat rapidly, heavily. She didn't want to turn around, she knew if she did that...

She swallowed heavily until something pressed onto her back. Lucy screamed from the pain as the demon pressed his foot onto her. Crushing her down forward as he pulled her head up. It snarled loudly before lowering its head to her ear.

"Play time is over, Luce" it murmured in a sickly sweet tone. Lucy glanced over to him from the corner of her eyes, straining her neck from the way he was holding her head. She saw him raising a red-scaled clawed arm and it rushed towards her face when she suddenly woke up.

* * *

Lucy jolted awake, still feeling the tight grip on her head. She wheezed heavily, sweat dripping down her face. Leo ran into the room, eyes panicking as he rushed to her side.

"Lucy! Did you have another nightmare? My god, you're pale as a sheet again" he quickly grabbed some rags from the nearby table and started to clean the sweat off her face.

Lucy was holding her head and without realizing it, she was crying again. Crying from seeing the terrifying look on Natsu's face. The blood thirsty demon that was sent after her. Lucy flinched when Leo touched her face, almost entirely jumping back from him, "Leo..?" Lucy blinked a few times while slowly pulling her hands away from her face.

Makarov walked in shortly after, "Lucy, is everything alright?" he moved next to Lucy who was still terrified.

"Princess, do you want to tell me what happened? Was it a nightmare?" Leo spoke gently, not making another movement towards her. Gray walked in with Erza and Happy flew in.

"Lucy, you're awake!" he flew into her arms and Lucy winced before holding the small cat tightly. She started to pet him before speaking quietly.

"I saw him again. I saw Zeref" Leo turned to look at Makarov and Gray sat at the end of her bed. Erza listened carefully as she pulled a chair over, "I don't...We don't have time to sit here" she started moving out of the bed and Gray grabbed her wrist.

"Don't have time for what Lucy?" Leo slowly walked to her. Makarov's eyes furrowed to the girl.

"Lucy, what did Zeref tell you?" the old man spoke a bit too loudly. Leo placed a hand onto her shoulders, looking at her carefully.

"Lucy...?" he brushed her hair away and Lucy flinched. Seeing Natsu's red eyes flashing in her mind again. She started to sob. Happy flew to the side, feeling scared and confused.

"Zeref told me i had until tomorrow sunset to hand him END's book or everything here will perish from Natsu. I was so scared...He disappeared and i was left with Natsu in that place. Only it wasn't him, it wasn't...it couldn't have been.." she curled over onto herself, crying louder, "It was like something evil, so evil that used his face. And he chased after me...I woke up the moment he was about to kill me" Happy walked towards her and placed a paw onto her leg. Leo dropped his hands, fearing for the worst. Makarov fell silent and Gray clenched his jaw as well as Erza.

"I won't hold back if he even tries to lay a hand on you again, Lucy. I'm through with just sitting back and watching. I refuse to let any of my friends die because..." Erza placed a hand onto Gray's shoulders.

"I feel the same way but, Lucy..." she turned to look at the sobbing girl, "We'll do whatever it takes to help. However, i have to agree with Gray. If he does anything at all to hurt you, i will not hesitate" Makarov started mumbling before a bright light started to emanate him.

"I will not have anyone destroy this family while i'm still alive to stop it" Makarov walked out of the room fuming. Everyone watched before looking back towards Lucy. She started to glow with her golden flames flickering around her.

"I will stop Zeref. I have someone i need to protect and we have to go now, before he comes here" She looked at Leo, the tears dried up and her eyes filled with anger and determination. He sighed heavily and nodded towards her.

"Let's go, there's no time to waste" he spoke carefully.

Gray stood by his side, "Where exactly are we suppose to find him?" Leo looked at him then to Lucy.

"She'll find him, I know she can. If it's Zeref, then there's no doubt Natsu will be nearby" Lucy nodded.

"I can still feel him if i choose to" She held up her flickering flamed hand, "I promise Natsu. I'll save you"

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Veronica Koujousen Ost**_ ** _"_**

* * *

Natsu stopped over a large mountain range. The forest he came from was south of the Magnolia city, the entire other end of the place he spent with Lucy all night. His eyes scanned the area, looking for anything that can reveal the man's whereabouts. He slowly descended and started walking over the rocks. A sharp pain in his chest shot through him and he curled over panting heavily. Keeping one eye open, he heard someone walking nearby. Natsu growled furiously, realizing who this vile scent belonged to.

"Just like i programmed you. The need to find me whether or not you wanted to" Zeref spoke amusingly, "Nice to see you again, dear brother"

Natsu moved up carefully only to be pushed back down by a dark force. Pressing him heavily into the ground, "I'm going to kill you Zeref. How dare you show your face to me again" Snarls ripped though his throat, baring his sharp canines towards the black-haired boy.

Zeref kneeled down in front of him and waved a finger, "That's not how it works, Natsu" Zeref placed a hand onto his head and Natsu snapped his head away.

"Don't you dare touch me" he hissed.

"Don't?.." he pulled up Natsu's hair harshly in his grip, "Who do you think brought you back to life, Natsu? So you can go running off freely with some human? Don't make me laugh" and threw his head back down. Natsu hissed harshly at the man before glaring at him with his own bright red eyes.

"If you hurt Lucy, I'll make you beg for death. I remember now, I remember why you've re-created me" Natsu spoke under his heavy breathing. He started to laugh maniacally, "Don't think for a moment i will give it to you so easily"

Zeref's eyes glowed red and stood up. Waving a finger down, Natsu was picked up by a black string of magic, choking him by the throat. Natsu gripped onto his neck, yanking at something he couldn't grab.

"I know you won't. That's why i suggest we make this easier. Forget everything you had with this world. Go back to the roots I've embedded in you, Natsu. Forget any attachment you've made with that girl. If you don't, I'll tear it from you, One at a time. And when that is all done, the first person I'll have you go after will be her" Zeref laughed darkly, "I can just imagine the look on that girl's face the moment she see's you ripping her throat out. I know deep down, your inner self yearns for it too. The demon you've suppressed over the centuries. I know you pushed it away, Natsu. I know you pushed it so far down that your human side resurfaced. Keeping the form you once had, those foolish books of mine didn't even notice. Useless things they were. Couldn't complete the one task i gave them" Zeref continued to talk to himself when Natsu was dropped from the air, choking and wheezing for his breath back.

' _Lucy...Lucy...'_ Natsu punched the ground, raking it through with his claws. His body trembled, terrified out of his mind for the girl. The girl he swore to protect with his life.

Zeref stopped talking and looked down towards Natsu, "Have you decided to listen, Natsu?" He kneeled over again, holding Natsu's chin up towards him.

"Bite me" Natsu hissed. Zeref kicked Natsu across the ground, sending him flying back a few feet. The demon carefully picked himself back up.

"I won't kill you but, i sure as well will knock you out for a long time..." Natsu whispered angrily under his breath. Dark red flames flickered off his body and lunged towards the black wizard. Zeref raised his hands, holding two fingers towards him. The angered demon swung a punch at him and Zeref deflected it back towards him. Natsu flew back far and caught his feet in the air, skidding across as he spread open his wings widely.

"You will kill me after you destroy the place that turned you so human, END" Zeref yelled loudly.

Natsu growled furiously and lunged towards Zeref again, "Hell's Dark Decree, Pain" He snarled towards the mage. A small black flame flickered off his fingers and smashed into Zeref's chest. It lingered for only a second before it sent the mage flying back, colliding into the mountain range. A small avalanche took place, covering Zeref entirely. Natsu glared furiously, teeth still baring down at the pile of rocks, darker flames started to engulf him entirely.

"A spell like that would've normally killed a person instantaneously, however..." the black mage emerged slowly from the rocks. A black aura started to emanate from him, "It'll take a lot more than that to take me down, Natsu"

Natsu flew high into the air and breathed a wall of black flames towards Zeref. The black mage held up his hand the moment the flames reached him. The black flames flew past him, leaving himself untouched while the ground scorched into ash. When the flames died down his eyes widened when he saw Natsu right in front of him. The demon punched Zeref in the face, cracking his jaw and sent him flying back even further. Zeref wiped the blood off the side of his face, smiling.

"Just a bit more, Natsu" he laughed when Natsu lunged at him again.

"I said i won't kill you, Zeref!" he yelled angrily. Zeref stopped his hand from colliding with his face again and threw Natsu back. He curled his hands together as black magic started to form densely between his fingers.

"I'll just wake you up first then, Natsu, No, END!" Zeref yelled. The wind picked up harshly and the area grew dark. Zeref threw the black magic ball, exploding towards the demon. Natsu raised his hands as a wall of fire blocked some of the impact but, it still sent the demon flying backwards. Natsu collided into some trees behind him, He wheezed heavily and started coughing up blood. He felt the black magic tickling his scales, feeling like it was trying to eat its way through to him. He got up slowly only to be dived into. Natsu yelped loudly from pain as he barely glimpsed at the black eyed beast standing on top of him. Something familiar. The being stared down at him, snarling fiercely. He tried to raise his fist towards it but it grabbed it swiftly, crushing his hand in the process. Natsu growled as he tried to pull himself away.

The beast laughed darkly, "I never thought I'd be so weak" it spoke in a low hoarse tone. The sound sent chills up his spine, eyes widening from realization.

"No i refuse to be like that again, get away from me!" Natsu yelled loudly as he tried kicking the thing off of him.

* * *

Lucy was running swiftly through the woods, picking up strange black magic nearby. Leo, Gray, Erza and Makarov were following close behind.

"We have to hurry! I can feel Natsu getting closer!" Lucy cried loudly on the top of her lungs. She ran with all her might, hair whipping to side of her face. Not caring how she looked, not caring about anything else in the world. ' _I'll save you Natsu, i swear. I'll save you_ ' she thought to herself. More tears fell down her cheek and Leo caught up to her. He kept his pace with her as blue flames started to flicker off of him,

"Zeref is nearby too, that black magic...it belongs to him. I just know it" Leo spoke loudly.

Lucy looked at Leo carefully, "When we get there, we have to pull Natsu away. I'll use my golden flames and summon Ophiuchus. Leo, you'll help me won't you?" she smiled weakly at him with her tear filled eyes"

Leo hesitated for a moment but looked ahead with a serious expression, "I'll help you no matter what, Lucy" the celestial mage turned her head and focused on ahead.

* * *

Natsu flew high into the sky as the dark beast below him stretches its black claws out to grab him. Zeref watched the sight, laughing, "What are you so afraid of Natsu? This is who you are! Stop fighting it and embrace it like you use to!" Natsu breathed black flames towards the ground, engulfing the area. The beast roared loudly and jumped into the air after Natsu. The demon kicked his foot down, smashing it back towards the ground. Dark flames encircled his arms as he threw punches at it continuously. Zeref jumped over and waved his fingers towards Natsu, sending him flying back, "No, Natsu. You're not suppose to kill it. Absorb it"

Natsu got up quickly and shot his flames towards the mage. The black beast stood in front of Zeref and swallowed the flames before returning it back in full force. The demon raised his arms as it burned his flesh slightly. Natsu screamed from the pain before snarling back down towards them. He flew back up into the air and started holding up his arms. Blood red flames encircled in the sky, forming a large ball of fire, "Eat this, bastard!" He threw the large ball of flames towards the ground, creating a large explosion. Trees snapped and flew back hundreds of feet. A crater was left and Natsu started to breathe heavily.

Without the restoration chambers in operation, he was beginning to feel weaker. ' _Damn it, I can't hold this up any longer...Lucy_ ' He closed his eyes for only a moment, seeing her brown eyes staring at him. A small smile twitched onto his lips before being grabbed beneath him. He got pulled rapidly to the ground and was smashed into it with a strong impact. Natsu coughed up blood and his vision started to blur. He held up his hand shakily. _'Lucy...'_ he thought, _'Lucy...I'm...'_ another punch was strongly hit into his gut. Natsu roared loudly from the pain and the beast continued to punch him relentlessly.

"Ready to give in, Natsu? I really don't want to see you so badly beaten like this. It saddens me..." Zeref said while frowning. His head tilted before snapping his gaze towards the forest, "Oh look, the party has arrived" smiling darkly, "The girl found us quickly, hasn't she?" he started laughing when another wave of dark flames flew out.

Zeref jumped back, "Do it already, Etherious" The black beast stood over Natsu grinning when the pink-haired boy yelled on the top of his lungs.

"NO! GET AWAY FROM ME!" he cried loudly before being smothered by the black beast. Natsu raised his hand into the air as a tear fell down his face. Moments later the creature disappeared and Natsu's hand fell to the ground.

Zeref walked over to him slowly, "It's good to have you back however, let's get this over with, END"

* * *

 _ **Song play - Fairy Tail - Fairy Law Ost(extended)"**_

* * *

Lucy finally saw a clearing up ahead, trees burning slightly while the rest was smashed together to pieces. Everyone stopped at the edge, eyes fell on the two beings in the center. One was laying on the ground while the other was the black mage, Zeref, who was standing beside the pink-haired boy. Lucy ran past her group and Leo couldn't grab her in time.

"LUCY DONT!" Leo ran after her and so did everyone else.

"NATSU!" Lucy yelled as she ran towards them. Zeref smiled to her and backed up.

"Don't let me ruin this reunion, by all means" he bowed slightly.

Lucy fell over Natsu, placing a hand onto his beaten body, "Natsu, speak to me, Natsu!"

Makarov yelled towards Lucy when a bright light started to glow from him, "LUCY GET AWAY FROM HIM! THAT'S NOT NATSU!"

Lucy looked at her guild master and then slowly looked back down to the demon. She swallowed heavily when she saw his eyes snap open. He grabbed her wrist harshly and Lucy screamed.

"You came for me, Lucy?" he said an alluringly deep voice.

Lucy pulled her arm back quickly and staggered back onto her feet. She only got away from him in that moment because her golden flames immediately reacted. It burned his hand back and Zeref only watched. Leo quickly grabbed her and pulled her back away from the grinning demon.

Zeref walked beside END and smiled towards the group, "What, no happy reunion? Is this not the boy you love, Lucy Heartfilla?" he spoke in a sickly sweet tone.

END laughed loudly, "This girl is head over heels for me..." then slowly pointed towards her, curling his finger - beckoning her to come over, "Lucy, you didn't give me a kiss hello. I'm deeply offended" he said while showing his canines.

Lucy flinched back into Leo, face paling, "it can't be. It can't...Natsu...This isn't you..."

END held his stomach laughing again, "This is me, Lucy. I'M THE REAL _NATSU_! THE ONE AND ONLY END" Zeref patted the laughing demon on the back.

"Now that this little reunion is done, How about we get down to business?" Zeref said while clapping his hands together.

Gray allowed his demon slayer magic to cover half his body, Makarov already had his light magic ready, pulsing brightly. Lucy and Leo had their holy flames engulfing them strongly while END had his blood red flames flickering off of him. Zeref moved closer towards them and the demon followed closely behind. END kept an eye on Lucy, eyeing her wickedly.

Lucy felt sick, felt like she was being stripped bare in front of him. In front of END. She felt horrified and afraid. This was not Natsu. She knew that, this was something else. The thing you saw only in nightmares and it's standing right before her. They stopped a few feet away and Makarov ran between Zeref and Lucy.

"I will not allow you to get any closer than that, Zeref!" Raising his hands together, "I'm giving you to the count of 3 to back down and get far away from here as possible!"

"3"

"And what, let you guys walk freely after the stunt you pulled on my dear little brother?" Zeref retorted coldly.

"2"

END grinned devilishly towards the group, "Come on, i just want to play with them a little bit"

"1"

Makarov clasped his hands together and yelled on top of his lungs, "Fairy Law!" A giant magic circle flashed under them. END and Zeref jumped back quickly as a bright light shot down from the sky. It engulfed the entire area, shining brightly, blinding the darkness in ever corner of the ground and sky. Makarov turned his head around, "LEO GET LUCY OUT OF HERE, THAT'S AN ORDER BY THE GUILD MASTER!" Leo gritted his teeth and picked up Lucy.

"NO i said I'll fight Leo, You promised!" Leo didn't say anything and held her tightly as everyone else ran quickly.

Gray clenched his jaw, "The master is going to hold them back. He planned this from the start if anything happened before we got here. Lucy, there's always later, right now we have to go!"

Lucy yelled loudly on the top of her lungs, "NATSU ILL SAVE YOU! I PROMISE!"

They ran as fast as they can back through the woods while Makarov was left behind. Making sure he did enough damage to them to slow them down.

Makarov turned his gaze back towards the two beings beside him. Zeref was gone and END was left there holding a hand over his eyes. He was growling deeply in his chest. The light died down and Makarov breathed heavily, "What has he done to you, boy?" glancing up towards the demon. His eyes widened realizing his magic barely scathed him. ' _Damn it, i guess deep down i never..._ ' He was suddenly sent flying across. His body was smashed up against a tree and he slid down painfully.

"That was a nasty trick, old man" END was already standing in front of Makarov, kneeling towards him, "You know, i knew i could win the hearts of your little fairies if i blended in with you guys long enough" Smiling darkly. He grabbed Makarov's head and pulled him close to his face. Baring his sharp teeth, "and it'll be the reason you die today, Old man" He threw him back towards the tree and Makarov coughed up blood. More light started to emanate from him as he tried to stand up again.

"I will stop you, Natsu. You will not get close to Fairy Tail ever again..." His eyes glowed brightly.

END scoffed, "Please, I think you've grown too soft to hurt me" Dark flames flickered off him and he lunged towards the old man. Makarov cracked his joints and raised his own fist towards the demon. A large explosion was made, snapping more trees back from them.

They were at a stalemate. Neither force has moved and Makarov continued to glow brighter, flickers of light shot out towards the dark flames as Natsu hissed harshly under his breath, "Fine. Let's play then"

* * *

They finally arrived back to the guild and Lucy jumped out of Leo's grasp immediately.

"How could you guys leave him behind like that!" she yelled as she turned to look at them, "It's not just Natsu. That was our guild master!" she continued to yell louder.

Gray stomped in front of her raising his hands into the air, "YOU THINK WE WANTED TO?! Or are you forgetting he's also a wizard saint. He's the guild master of our guild, Lucy! Remember that!" He yelled back.

Lucy pushed Gray back as tears filled her eyes, "We are Fairy Tail, We don't cower to our enemies. We fight them back or was that all just a gimmick?!" Gray almost raised his hand to her and Leo grabbed it.

"That's enough!" he yelled. Gray pulled his hand away from Leo, glowering.

"We all want to fight back but, Our master made us swear. He made us swear we will get to safety first while he holds them back"

Erza pulled out a dozen swords and yelled loudly, "Someone is here!" Everyone crowded together, backs to each to each other.

Zeref came from the shadows, clapping his hands slowly, "That was quite the show you put up. I must applaud you"

Leo growled at him and Gray started revealing his devil slayer magic again. Lucy shoved past them and Leo grabbed her wrist, stopping her, "What have you done to Natsu!" she yelled.

Zeref looked appalled, "What i did? I didn't do anything. I just woke him up from the dream he's been deluding himself in. He's back to his normal self now, so I'm glad"

Lucy raised the snake covered key towards him, "That's not Natsu. You've changed him!" she cried loudly.

Zeref shook his finger at him, "No, i woke him up. You see, over the centuries i think he grew bored. While his true nature was being smothered by his humanity it eventually went into sleep. That was his human side running around for the past century. Curiosity made me watch for awhile until he came across you. For whatever reason, he let you hang around. When I've caught wind that my little brother has stooped to acting like a human again i had to put a stop to things. It was...disgusting to watch"

Lucy felt her blood boiling and screamed, "Open, 13th gate of the Snake charmer! Ophiuchus!" Black magic soared from Lucy into the sky. Dark clouds started to spiral and Leo watched in horror as he stepped back. He pulled everyone behind him.

"GET BACK!" he yelled. The clouds swirled harshly before a loud demonic roar was made. Bright red eyes revealed itself and Zeref looked up to the skies.

"Who would've thought you could summon such things.." he stepped back as a large beast-like snake emerged. It descended down slowly, hissing loudly.

"Heartfilla" it hissed. Lucy pointed towards the black mage as her eyes darkened.

"Get rid of him" her voice was distorted and the snake shot its gaze towards the black mage.

The snake lunged towards Zeref, opening its jaw widely. The rest of its large, heavy body emerged from the clouds and crashed into the ground. The ground shook heavily and Lucy jumped onto its back. Leo watched as his beloved master was being consumed by the dark magic of the key. However, he had to trust her, he had no choice but to trust her right now. Everyone retreated back into the guild while Leo watched carefully.

The black snack crashed into everything in its path, chasing down the black haired boy. Ophiuchus raised its upper half and dived down into the ground, creating large cracks and craters. Debris started to pile up and Zeref raised his hands, shooting black magic towards the beast. The snake opened its mouth as it consumed the black magic and continued to charge towards the boy.

"You've got to be kidding me" the mage clenched his jaw. He raised his hand and smacked it into the ground. A bright red circle shined as he started to chant quickly.

Ophiuchus opened it's jaw again and crashed over Zeref. Suddenly a large explosion was made, shooting the snake high into the air. Smoke radiated from its mouth as it lowered its bright red eyes to the boy who took off again.

Ophiuchus spoke between hissing, "What now, Heartfilla?" Lucy's eyes remained dark as she pointed towards the running boy.

"Don't stop until he's eliminated" her distorted voice cracked and the snake obeyed. Coiling its body high up into the sky and charged towards Zeref rapidly.

"With pleasure" it hissed quietly into her head.

* * *

 **AN: Brace yourselves, the battle has only just begun between Lucy, Fairy Tail, Zeref and END (o.o")/**

 **and will last until the end. Get comfy, enjoy the read and as always, thank you all so much for the continued support! :3  
**

 **...**

 **Now for the preview!**

* * *

*~ _...Lucy's head snapped down and looked behind herself as her eyes shined a brilliant gold. Holding her hands out she yelled, "SHINE! Urano Metria! **"** Large prisms of color and stars crashed down to the ground and Leo dashed towards her side. It crushed END and Zeref immediately and Leo picked up the girl and ran..._~*

 **See you next chapter! (*noms popcorn as the battle intensifies*)**


	25. Chapter 24: The Apocalypse

***~Preview and AN at the end!~*  
**

* * *

Leo rushed back into the guild and called everyone over, "We have to get ready for when they come back!" he yelled as he started to walk through the guild. He went in search of Lucy's bag. The lion spirit walked into the bed room and grabbed the small pink bag that was tucked under the bed and pulled out END's book. He lit his hand with the blue flames and watched as the book started to glow darkly. Small streams of steam escaped from the pages, making Leo wince from the touch, _'I have to get this back to Lucy_ ' He turned around and left quickly out of the room.

* * *

 ** _"Song play - Fairy Tail - Ankoku no Madoushi Ost(extended)"_**

* * *

Makarov's body was enormous. He threw punches towards the flying demon and cracked the ground from every impact he made. The demon flew around continuously, throwing fists of flames towards the guild master. From every swing, Makarov's light diminished the flames but, not without leaving marks on himself. The old man huffed heavily, feeling exhausted from the dark magic sinking into him. The demon however, was consumed by it and any faint traces of humanity that was left in the boy, was probably gone by now. However, he prayed for Lucy's sake that it wasn't.

Makarov's eyes shot towards the ground, watching black flames moving up towards him. He stomped his foot down, knocking dirt into the air and smothering the flames beneath him. Sadly he didn't catch it in time, the demon flew over the giant and his head was smashed towards the ground.

It knew the flames would distract the old man long enough to counter him. END laughed loudly as he watched the giant shrink down. His magic was withering. "Is that all you got old man? And you call yourself a wizard saint!" END lunged towards him again and Makarov rolled out of the way quickly.

"It's just a title, it means nothing, boy!" Makarov's eyes lit up again and END hissed back. The demon spread his wings over himself as a wave of light shined brightly in the air, knocking him back. He opened his eyes and saw in the far distance a giant snake getting closer.

"It seems we are going to have company again, old man" END cackled and lunged again towards the guild master. Sparks of electricity shot across the ground and lightning cracked from the sky, hitting the demon from the back. END roared on the top of its lungs as he fell down to the ground. A small crater of flames was made as he tried to get himself back up.

Small trickles of blood dripped down from END's eyes as it continued to smile darkly towards the old man, "Was that all?" He started to walk towards Makarov. The old man huffed, feeling the effects of the magic loss and held up another fist of light.

"With my last breath, i will stop you, END" the old man coughed as blood started to come up with it. END snarled and threw a fist at the man, knocking him back a few feet. Makarov staggered himself back up and another lightning strike crashed down on the demon. Steam escaped from its lips from the direct hit and shortly brushed the blackened ash off.

"Too weak that time, Guild Master of Fairy Tail. I think you just ran out of cards to play" END laughed as it lunged towards the old man again with his claws extending out.

With his last breath a magic circle was formed under him and raised his hand high into the air. A strange marking was revealed as his sleeve was torn off him, "FAIRY GLITTER!" he clenched his fist tightly and a bright light shot down on the demon. END roared furiously as the light circled around him and bound him in his place. Makarov fell over unconscious and END couldn't move.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" it snarled angrily. The demon tried to continuously fight its way out but, the light binding it was too strong. It continued to roar angrily, echoing in the dark skies.

* * *

Lucy and Ophiuchus continued to chase down Zeref back through the woods. The snake grew closer the faster it flew across the skies. Rain started to pour heavily and the spirit flicked its large jaw towards the ground. The softened ground cracked easily and Zeref started to jump through the trees. Lucy raised her hand as her golden flames started to flicker, "Use as much magic as you need, Ophiuchus. Just stop him" The Snake hissed as it started to glow a dark purple. Its eyes darkened and lunged its entire body towards the black mage. The force into the ground created a large quake, leaving a large ravine in the process. Zeref flicked another string of black magic towards the snake only for it to be consumed again.

"This is preposterous!" Zeref mumbled angrily under his breath. He pivoted around and flicked dark flames towards the snake. Its black empty eyes locked on the still boy and threw its body towards him. Another collision was made creating yet another large crater. Zeref jumped in the air and landed onto the snakes head.

The snake started to emit heavy poison from its jaw and it circled around the mage. Lucy's eyes remained empty despite looking towards the mage.

"Look how far you'd go to stop me, Heartfilla. If Natsu saw you now, he'd be so ashamed" Zeref watched as a small tear left her dark eyes. Her eyes started to shimmer and began wheezing heavily.

Ophiuchus hissed loudly, "Get away from her, boy" It flicked its head back and the tail of the giant snake lunged towards Zeref. It hit the mage harshly into the air and the black mage smacked his hands together. A dark wall of magic flew towards the snake and it opened its jaw to consume it. However the moment it opened its mouth Zeref flew behind it, raising a fist of strange light. Upon collision a deafening explosion was made. The snake started to fade and crumble into nothing. Lucy fell from the sky and into the trees as Zeref landed gracefully onto the ground.

"That went on long enough" he scowled towards the girl who fell beside him. He walked closer towards her and raised his hands. Her body was immediately being crushed into the ground and the girl screamed, "Don't worry, I won't kill you, I'll let END have that satisfaction instead" He picked up Lucy harshly by the hair and started dragging her across the ground. Lucy screamed in tears from the pain, unable to breath properly.

She started coughing, choking on the lack of air. Zeref threw her across the ground after awhile. Lucy turned her head slightly as she tried to get up weakly. Her legs gave out but her elbows managed to hold her up barely. Her eyes locked onto END that was surrounded by a golden light - trapped in its place. Lucy's eyes fell to the battered old man in front of the demon.

"MASTER!" she choked out with her cries, "MASTER!" she tried to get up but Zeref flicked his wrist, knocking the girl back down harshly. Lucy coughed heavily again and held out her hand slowly as tears fell, "Natsu...Please come back, Please" Her chest tightened painfully as her body trembled. Zeref walked over towards the bound demon and shook his head in disappointment.

"Now how did this happen?" looking down towards the unconscious old man.

END snarled, his blood red eyes glowering to the ground, "Does it matter? I'm going to kill him!' it spoke angrily.

Zeref clapped his hand slowly, "Well color me impressed. However, it won't him hold too long but, I'm sure you know that as well, dear brother. Look I've brought you a gift" he pointed towards the blonde on the ground.

END smiled darkly as he moved his head towards her direction, "For me?"

"Of course. I'm always looking out for your best interests, END" Zeref patted the demon's head and walked back towards the girl. He grabbed her by the hair again and threw her at END's feet. The demon looked down to her, smiling. Lucy shrunk back and crawled towards Makarov, holding him carefully.

"Stay away from me" she spoke sharply, "You're not the man i know"

END tilted his head, feigning pain, "Ouch. I've always been here, Luce. Always have. I've watched everything, every little thing you did with me" A wicked, venomous smile spread on his face and his canines showed brightly, "The smiles and heart warming moments you've given me. Every time you whispered my name sent me chills, Luce" His eyelids fell slightly as he spoke lower in a tone that made Lucy's heart stop, "That moment when you said you loved me, i felt like i could die. How i want to repay that favor, Luce. Making me feel so human, i really do owe you one"

Lucy started to whimper and she squeezed her eyes shut, "No, Stop. Stop it please"

END started mocking her and Zeref started to laugh, "This is amazing, Simply Amazing" clapping his hands delightedly. His eyes suddenly shot towards the forest, a bright blue flame flashed towards him and punched him across the ground. END snapped his gaze around and hissed at the intruder.

Lucy's eyes widened and tears fell, "LEO!" She picked up Makarov carefully and started to move towards him.

"LUCY! Stay back!" he yelled. He threw her END's book and she barely caught it.

END snarled harshly, "I knew that'll be a problem eventually. Stupid boy handing that over to some girl. I should've gave him a better beating" Baring his teeth as Lucy looked at him. She clenched the book tightly in her hand while trying to balance the small old man in her arms.

"I can still try to save you, Natsu" her head hung low as her tears fell onto the book, "I will, i promise" golden flames flickered off of her hands.

END cackled as he tilted his head back, "THAT weakling is dead! He'll never come back! However..." he lowered his gaze to her, "Maybe if you hand me my book back, i promise I'll be gentle with you" he winked and Lucy shivered in disgust.

Her hand shot out golden flames and poured it over the book. The book set off streams of smoke and END howled in pain. Snarls and growls ripped from his throat and chest as he tried to get out of the ring of light. Makarov started wheezing and Lucy placed him down gently.

"Master, Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"I don't know.." he spoke in a raspy strained voice, "Lucy, dear" he lifted his arm up shakily and another tear escaped Lucy. She kept her golden flames strongly onto the book as the Demon continued to struggle in pain, "Lucy...You must...you must run. Run far away from here. I won't forgive myself, won't forgive if anything happens to you..." he wheezed heavily as his vision blurred. His skin started to fade into a sickly green and Lucy started to whimper, terrified out of her mind.

"No, No, i have to fight with you guys, i have to. Don't die, please don't die. Not because of me" she choked on her sobs as her tears broke through again.

Makarov smiled weakly and he closed his eyes, "Be strong Lucy, Run. Please" his body faded into a pile of ash and Lucy screamed. A bright light shined up towards the dark clouds and a hole in the sky was ripped with it. Leo and Zeref stopped as they watched her. END barely glanced at the girl from the corner of his eye as he continued to burn from the golden flames.

Lucy started chanting incoherently,

 _Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens..._  
 _All the stars, far and wide..._  
 _Show me thy appearance..._  
 _With such shine._  
 _Oh Tetrabiblos..._  
 _I am the ruler of the stars..._  
 _Aspect become complete..._  
 _Open thy malevolent gate._  
 _Oh 88 Stars of the heaven..._

Lucy's head snapped down and looked behind herself as her eyes shined a brilliant gold. Holding her hands out she yelled, "SHINE! _Urano Metria! **"**_ Large prisms of color and stars crashed down to the ground and Leo dashed towards her side. It crushed END and Zeref immediately and Leo picked up the girl and ran.

* * *

The lion spirit ran as fast as he could, without another glance back. Lucy fell unconscious in his arms, barely able to hear her heart beat, ' _When the hell did she learn to do that! I never taught her such heavy magics_ ' he looked down to her and squeezed his eyes shut as he ran, "Reckless, Lucy. Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" he huffed angrily under his breath. ' _At least for now, that should've slowed them down..._ ' A tear slid down his face as he recalled the Guild Master Makarov, ' _The guild is going to crying for you, Master. Why did you push yourself so far'_ he clenched his jaw tightly, ' _Why is everyone throwing their lives around so recklessly, I can't...'_ Leo fought back tears as he continued to push himself rapidly through the forest towards Fairy Tail.

People stood up from the tables as the spirit crashed into the guild hall, out of breath. He rushed past everyone and straight towards the infirmary.

"What the hell happened, Leo?" Erza yelled loudly. Leo didn't say anything as he placed Lucy onto the bed. Gray came in shortly after with Wendy and the two cats. Charle stuck close to Wendy and Happy flew to Lucy's side.

"What happened to Lucy?" Happy pawed at the battered girl who was barely breathing.

Leo punched the wall beside them, making everyone flinch back. He shot an icy glare towards the window when he spoke quietly.

"We don't have much time, they could catch up. We have to get out of here as soon as Wendy heals whatever she can for Lucy" eyeing the small dragonslayer. The small girl nodded and ran towards Lucy to start healing her.

"...the hell, Loke. What happened out there?" Gray raised his arms out.

Leo looked down to them when he barely spoke above a whisper, "The guild master is gone.."

Erza stepped closer towards Leo, eyes shaking with pain and shock, "...what?"

"We barely got out of there. He managed to lock down END for awhile but, it costed him everything. Lucy used a powerful spell and slowed them down further for the time being. We really don't have much time, we have to get moving before they come here" he said a bit louder. He clenched his fist tighter.

Gray went livid, "That does it...I'm done with this..." he started to storm off and Leo went after him. He grabbed his shoulder and Gray pushed him back immediately.

"Don't carelessly throw your life away Gray! You think the master would want that?! He did this for our sake!" he yelled. Gray ignored him and ran off in a flash. Erza ran after him while Leo moved back towards Lucy.

"How long?" he spoke to Wendy quickly.

The girl was quivering, holding back her cries, "I don't know...I don't" Charle flew onto her shoulder, hugging her gently, "Don't pressure her. Wendy is under a lot of stress right now, Leo"

Leo gritted his teeth, "I'm not pressuring her. I have to know. We don't have time, we already lost a valuable life. We cannot afford to lose another"

Wendy sniffled as tears fell, "What's going to happen to us?" the girl cried. Charle tried to hush her gently but the girl kept quivering. Eventually her magic faded and her hands covered her face full of tears, "Why did this have to happen?"

Leo pulled up END's book from under his cloak. Before he ran off he grabbed it from Lucy and hid it. His eyes narrowed as the book burned his hand. The spirit sighed heavily, ignoring the pain before throwing it to the ground and stomping onto it - crushing it under his foot, "I'll never forgive him. Not ever, Not even if he went back to human"

Lucy fluttered her eyes open and her voice cracked, "...Natsu.." she breathed. Wendy and Leo hovered over to her quickly. Happy nudged her with his head.

"Lucy...what happened" the blue cat cried. Leo brushed her hair away gently, forcing a smile onto his face.

"Princess, I'm glad you're okay. Normally I'd yell at you for being so reckless but, you did well, I'm proud" He spoke gently.

Lucy sat up and held her head in her hand, "My head hurts" Her eyes snapped open entirely, "The book!" she yelled panicked.

Leo sighed and picked up the book from the floor. She grabbed it from him and glowered towards it, "Lucy.." He breathed warily, "I don't think you can..." but before he can finish Lucy suddenly lit her hands up and punched the book a few times. A small dent was left behind and she breathed heavily from the excess effort.

"That ought to do it, for now" Tears escaped Lucy's eyes and her body started to shake, "Why him?" she breathed. Her blonde hair started to fall forward again, "Why...did it have to be him?" her sobs slipped through and Leo hugged her gently, scowling towards the book.

"I wish i knew, princess. I really wish i knew" Wendy hugged Lucy as well as the two cats.

Erza came back in and kicked Gray across the room. All eyes fell onto them, "Now what are you suppose to say?" she growled angrily.

"I..." Gray breathed under his breath. Erza stomped over and placed a foot onto his behind.

"Say what now?" she glowered towards the battered ice mage.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, Loke" he mumbled while his face was planted into the ground. Everyone's face paled from the sight and watched the scarlet mage pull him back up.

"...and?" shoving him towards Lucy. Lucy's eyes widened, unsure of what is going on.

Gray glanced at Lucy and tilted his head down, bowing, "I'm sorry for making you worry. I shouldn't have ran off like that without thinking" he spoke quickly. Erza smacked him hard onto his back making the boy yelp.

"Glad to hear that" the scarlet woman spoke as she looked towards Lucy, "Glad to see you're okay as well, Lucy. I'm sorry we weren't there to help you" her head dropped as tears fell, "I'm sorry i couldn't be there to help, the guild master..." her body shook and Lucy held her arms out towards her.

Erza hugged Lucy then everyone started to group hug again until they heard an explosion in the distance. Leo paled and swallowed heavily.

"We're out of time, that's probably them" he spoke quickly, "We have to get out of here now!" He helped Lucy out of the bed and everyone else rushed out of the room. Leo called over to the blue cat, "Happy, get Lucy out of here as far as you can, Got that?!" Happy started to sniffle and nodded.

Lucy looked at Leo, panic filled her eyes, "Leo what the hell are you doing?!" she felt Happy picking her up into the air, "Put me down! I'm getting so tired of being picked up!"

Leo smiled to her weakly, "Be safe, Lucy. I'll come back as soon as i can. Happy, Go, NOW!" Happy flew without another look back and Lucy cried, stretching her arms out towards her friends.

"STOP IT! Stop! Don't leave me, please. Stop...i can't lose another friend!" Lucy cried on the top of her lungs as another explosion sounded in the distance. Happy pulled her out of a broken window and her eyes widened from the sight. The entire town was engulfed by dark flames. Everything was burning to the ground. The forest and the remainder of the city. Everything. The sky grew darker with the black smoke rising. The horrifying vision burned into her mind as Lucy whimpered heavily, remembering the time seven years ago. The time her mother passed away, "No, No not again. HAPPY put me down!"

Happy ignored her and spoke, "Lucy, I didn't want to leave either. We have to protect you. It's my duty to protect my friends too! Leo made me promise him before. Before he left, if anything were to happen, I'd get you out of here" Happy's tears spilled in the air and Lucy's heart ached with sorrow and pain. She cried loudly, voice echoing in the skies as it started to sprinkle rain.

"I can't do this anymore. I can't...First mom, then Natsu and now the guild master. My heart can't take this..." Lucy held up the book in her hands. Eyeing the letters etched onto it.

' _I never liked my name. I hated it_ ' Natsu's green eyes looked at her with pain, _'I'd never do anything to hurt you Lucy, Not ever. I promise'_

Lucy's heart sank as she squeezed her eyes shut. Images of his smile crossed her mind repeatedly until it started to change into the terrifying dark smile and blood red eyes. Lucy screamed with anguish as her heart continued to squeeze tighter, "Why!?" she yelled loudly, "WHY NATSU!? YOU PROMISED ME! YOU PROMISED YOU'D COME BACK FOR ME!" she continued to scream with agony.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Chase! Natsu & Gray(extended)"**_

* * *

Leo, Erza and Gray ran to get Gajeel and Laxus. Jellal came rushing in beside them. Everyone was ready for their final battle.

"I've only encountered END a few times" Jellal spoke quickly as they rushed through the burning city, "He doesn't use normal flames. If any of it touches you, get rid of it immediately. It's coated with black magic and it'll burn right through you"

Gray spoke loudly as he started to slow down, "...Or call for me. I'll cool you right down" his eyes locked towards the road ahead, "Devil Ice make: Dark Rampart!" He stopped in his tracks in front of everyone, holding his arms out wide then smacking the ground heavily. The ground shook when suddenly a large pink wall of ice shot up over the city. Gray breathed heavily as his eyes glowed bright. The ground froze and so did the flames in the close vicinity. The people behind him watched in shock as the boy slowly put out the dark flames with his devil ice. Gray stood up only to back up slightly. END was on the other side, scowling.

"Annoying aren't you?" it hissed.

Gray smacked both his fists together, breathing heavily, "Maybe. But i think you just took the cake, buddy. Devil Ice make, Rupture!" he yelled. Pink ice spikes shot under END, making him fly high up into the air from the other side.

"Everyone get ready!" Erza and Jellal spoke in unison. They turned to look at each other, smiling briefly before turning back towards the flying demon. Zeref walked behind them and spoke as if he was feeling bored..

"If this is all you have, You should've ran while you had the chance" His eyes looked up towards the sky as the demon descended, surrounded in his dark flames.

"Fairy Tail doesn't back down from a fight!" Gray shouted. Laxus and Gajeel lunged towards END in the air with Gray while Erza and Jellal lunged towards Zeref.

"Where is she?" END hissed loudly towards the slayers.

Laxus punched the demon to the ground with all his might, "Again, that is none of your business demon" he retorted.

"Gihi, now its my turn. Iron Dragon's Roar!" he puffed out his chest and released a gust of sharp iron, particle filled air towards the demon.

Gray lunged back down towards the ground, "Devil Ice make: Zeroth Long sword" a dark sword of ice shot out from his hand, sparking with dark energy. The sword crashed down towards END harshly, gouging his arm. It roared angrily as painful shocks shot through his entire being. The demons dark flames erupted out from him, making everyone jump back.

"I never liked you, Devil slayer" it snarled while baring its teeth towards the ice mage.

Gray snickered darkly as he raised the sword towards him, "I never liked you either" Gray lunged at him again and END raised a flaming fist towards him. Laxus had his lightning striking the ground rapidly while Gajeel went at END from behind.

Several collisions were made, coiling the air with strong gusts. Hot and Cold air filled the area as thunder started to crack loudly overhead. Rain began to pour down hard, creating a small flood beneath them.

* * *

Lucy and Happy continued to fly further away from the guild. The celestial mage's mind was running amok - unable to think clearly anymore. She firmly believed she has lost everything. Everything she loved was being torn away from her. She begged the heaven's above why, what sin has she committed to be driven down by such a harsh fate. Happy was growing exhausted as the winds and rain came down relentlessly.

"Lucy! i can't go on much longer. My magic is getting too weak" Happy huffed.

"Take us down quickly then" she said as she eyed the muddy ground beneath them. Her feet touched down and Happy fell into her arms.

"I'm sorry Lucy. I'm sorry i can't help much" the small cat cried, "I miss Natsu. I miss everyone, Lucy. I miss your wierd smile" The cat curled into her chest and the girl buried her head down. She fell onto her knees and started crying with him.

"Me too, Happy. Me too, i wish we can go back to the way things were. My god how i wish i can do that" Lucy sobbed quietly.

They stayed like that for awhile until more thunder roared in the sky above them. Lucy tilted her head up and pulled herself up.

"We have to get out of this rain, or we'll have bigger things to worry about" She started running through the mud, pushing all her might into her legs. Picking her feet up high to make sure she doesn't sink into the ground. Her chest heaved heavily, lungs stinging from being exhausted. She couldn't stop. Not now while everyone is out there fighting for her sake. Lucy hated it, she wanted to stay and fight with him. No one will let her. Lucy gritted her teeth and held onto Happy tightly. More images of Natsu smiling down to her gently flashed in her mind. How she yearned to see it again, having his warm arms around her. It felt like it's been forever ago. How it terrified her that it's only been a couple days. Only a couple and yet things changed so fast. Lucy saw a dark cave in the distance and ran towards it.

She flickered her golden flames and buried Happy under her arms. Carefully trying to wipe the soaked fur dry without burning him. Tears stung her eyes as she dropped the book in the process. Her eyes narrowed to it scornfully and kicked it across the cave. It bounced off the wall before falling towards the ground. The pages flipped rapidly and closed on its own.

"IDIOT!" she yelled painfully. Her lungs strained as well as her voice and Happy curled around the small fire she made to keep them warm, "YOU STUPID IDIOT!" she continued to scream, "WHY DID YOU GO TO ZEREF!? WHY!?" she fell onto the ground as tears fell. Happy touched her knee, face frowning sadly. He turned his head towards the book and started to walk towards it. Lucy's eyes widened as she watched the cat touch the book, "Happy no! get away from it" she kicked herself back onto her feet. Happy touched the book and yelped from the burn but, that didn't stop him.

"We have to help Natsu" the cat cried painfully. Still pulling the book from the wall. Lucy fell back onto her knees behind the cat as she watched. Tears rolling down her cheek still.

"Happy, don't hurt yourself, please" she tried to reach for the book but Happy didn't move away from it. She watched smoke escaping from his paws.

"We have to help Natsu!" the cat turned his head around, gritting its small teeth in pain, "Please Lucy!"

Lucy nodded her head, "I know, Happy. I want to save him too"

Lucy grabbed the book and pulled it onto her lap. She took in a heavy breath of the damp air and her fingers trembled over the cover. She lit her hands brightly with the golden flames as Happy backed up behind her. She slowly started to flip the cover open and the book flew out of her hands. Dark flames shot up from the book, forming strange letters into the air. Lucy's eyes locked onto each individual character it revealed, unable to make sense of it. Lucy moved over towards the book again as it continued to burn brightly and grabbed it back onto her lap. She winced painfully as it tried to burn through her flames.

' _Don't ever open it, Lucy. Unless you want to burn from the inside out'_ his voice echoed in the back of her mind, ' _Only he can open it'_ it continued.

Lucy swallowed heavily and shook her head, "I have to do this. I have to do this for your sake, Natsu" She pressed her hands onto the book firmly as the burn scorched her palms. Lucy screamed loudly and Happy cried.

"LUCY!" the cat yelled, "LUCY whats happening?" the dark flamed letters started circling around the celestial mage. Lucy continued to burn her golden flames into it. She felt like she was losing oxygen, everything was on fire in her body. Breathing heavily and sweat dripping down her face, she didn't stop. Lucy continued to pour her magic through the book, searching for anything she can find, anything at all about Natsu and his other side.

Lucy was suddenly sent flying back, knocking the wind out of her lungs as the book closed itself again. The celestial mage fell unconscious shortly after and Happy ran to her side, leaving the book by the wall.

* * *

 ** _"Song play - Fairy Tail - Hisou"_**

* * *

Lucy flickered her eyes open slowly. She was once again in a brightly lit room.

' _Am i dead this time?_ ' she thought. She stood up shakily and looked down to her hands. There was dark burn marks left from where she touched the book. Lucy shook her hands and couldn't feel no pain. Sighing she started looking around the room carefully.

It felt like she walked for hours as she continued down one direction, "Is anyone here?" she yelled, "Someone?!" her voice echoed until her eyes locked onto a shadowy figure in the distance. Without hesitating she ran towards it, "Hey! You over there!" Lucy stopped a few feet behind it. The figure was covered in a black cloak on the ground. It seemed the person was crouching over something. Lucy moved closer, curious as to what it was looking at. She kneeled down beside the cloaked figure only to see a small boy with black hair. Her eyes widened. The figure didn't say anything as it got up slowly.

"Who are you?" she breathed. It still didn't say anything. Almost as if it didn't hear her. It didn't even acknowledge her. Lucy looked back down to the boy and watched it being picked up slowly by the cloaked person. She followed it slowly as they started to walk ahead. The room suddenly changed into a dark area and Lucy held her arms over herself. The room reeked with black magic and her eyes widened from the familiar room.

"The restoration chambers" she breathed. Her eyes fell on a tank that was filled with strange liquid. Her lips parted and held a hand up over it when she realized what was in the tank, "No way" holding both hands over her mouth now. Lucy ran towards it and stopped in front of the tank, "NATSU!" she yelled. The celestial mage snapped her gaze towards the cloaked figure who was standing by the control panels. It mumbled something incoherently and she looked back towards the tank. A loud hissing noise was made as she watched strange liquids being pumped into the boy. The body flinched repeatedly before the glass cracked. Lucy jumped back as the tank exploded in front of her. After the smoke cleared, she watched the cloaked figure picking up the now pink haired boy. His hair changed, ' _was it always black?_ ' she thought carefully. Her heart stopped when she noticed the hood was off of the man. 'Zeref...' she breathed.

"Dear brother, welcome back" he spoke gently. Lucy watched as Zeref cleaned up the boy from the mess and brushed his hair gently, "Soon you'll wake up into a new world, Natsu. A world for just you and me"

The image faded again and Lucy covered her eyes. When the room stopped spinning she moved her arm away only to see a strange room. A giant lacrima was in the center of what it seemed to be a throne room. Her eyes fell onto the being that was sitting in the gold and black chair behind the Lacrima. Lucy walked towards the chair and saw the familiar dark, pink-hair, ' _Natsu..._ ' He was holding a book, his book. He was staring at the giant orb in front of him. Lucy noticed his eyes were a bright red but they looked, lonely. She stopped walking towards him when she heard a voice nearby talking.

"My lord, We still cannot find Zeref. Do you still want us to continue searching? It's been almost two centuries" the man with long black curly hair bowed to Natsu. She watched as his eyes flickered towards the other demon and snarled.

"Useless, the lot of you. All of you" his dark flames shot towards the demon and the servant left. Lucy walked in front of Natsu, realizing this must've been the time he started to change. She kneeled down in front of the red-eyed demon, moving her hand towards his face. Her fingers fell through the translucent image. "Why did he leave me here alone?" the demon mumbled under his breath. He closed his eyes as she watched his face soften. A silent tear fell down his face and Lucy felt her heart clench.

The room started to swirl again and she was thrown down into the ground. She yelped from the pain and got up only to see that she was inside of Natsu's chambers. Lucy walked around and heard voices.

"Who are you!?"

Lucy snapped her gaze towards the direction, eyes widening when she realized it was her own voice. She watched as the demon stood in the dark by the window.

"You can at least tell me who you are..." she watched herself slid down the cage, feeling defeated. Lucy moved towards the window, hearing him mumbling something.

"You're such a strange girl, Heartfilla. You're not like anything I've seen before" he chuckled quietly. Lucy started to tear up when she realized what this was. She sobbed quietly. This was his memories, replaying in her mind. She clutched her chest tightly and fell over. Remembering what happens next. Every moment of it. Lucy suddenly felt herself falling into another room and collapsed onto the ground.

"This is getting annoying" she mumbled under her breath. Standing up carefully, Lucy looked around, "this is..." She was standing outside the magnolia city. The moment when she first told him...

"I love you!" Lucy watched herself scream in the middle of her own golden flames, "Congratulations You've got me!" she continued to scream. Lucy watched as Natsu fell from the sky - to the ground beside her.

' _I can't fight her, I can't after all'_ his thoughts started to echo, _'For now, I'll just let her take her frustration out on me. I have to...protect her'_

Lucy started to cry again, "Natsu..." she kneeled over to the unconscious boy. Her fingers brushed through the translucent body, feeling frustrated she couldn't touch him, "I'll save you. I promise, i swear. Zeref won't win this" her hands kept trying to grab the body but failed, "please, please wake up, Natsu. I miss you so much, I miss you. I know you're stronger than this, Fight it!" she started quivering. Her body started to glow as she yelled louder, "FIGHT IT NATSU!" her golden flames shot out brightly, bringing her back out of the strange realm.

Happy jumped away as Lucy's body began to burn brightly, "Lucy...?" The girl started to stand up as she continued to burn brighter. She walked away without a word and picked up END's book. Happy followed her as she walked out of the cave in a dazed state.

* * *

 **AN: Getting so close to the end guys (O^O)/ and the sadness continues with the battle, its just a matter of time...  
**

 **How are you all doing though? Story alright? Its been awfully quiet, i really do want to hear from you guys, whether its a good opinion or not, it'll help me in the long run but anyway, I hope you all are enjoying the story so far and as for all my current reviewers, followers - thank you all so much *bows* I honestly don't know how far i would've made it without you guys (;^;)/  
**

 **Now for the preview!**

* * *

*~... _"I've had enough of you" but before he can do anything further, he saw Lucy pick up small remnants of the devil ice and with one swing, she stabbed the book into its center. The demon turned his head over slightly, eyes widening. Blood started to spill from his lips as he dropped the boy. END kneeled over holding an arm out towards her, "Lucy..."_ ~*

 **See you next time! (*sniffles*)**


	26. Chapter 25: Believe In Us

**AN and last preview for this story is at the end!**

* * *

The skies over Fairy Tail continued to darken from the mayhem below. END fought back relentlessly against the slayers while Zeref fought against Jellal and Erza. The scarlet mage continued switching through her armors the moment one shattered. Her magic was getting weaker but she forced herself to remain strong. Her Fairy armor shined and reflected the dancing red flames. She jumped high into the air and slammed her sword into the ground in front of the black mage, causing a small crater from the impact. Sweat dripped down her face as she breathed heavily. Jellal was still setting up his grand chariot so she had to focus on the distraction.

"Meteor" Jellal spoke quickly when he turned into a fast moving light. Zeref's eyes barely kept up with him and shot out his hand. Jellal ran into it, knocking the wind out of him as he flew back from the force.

"Jellal!" Erza screamed but whipped her head back, glaring at the black mage. Her body started to glow brightly, pouring all her magic into this last equipment. Zeref raised two fingers and pointed towards the scarlet mage, his eyes glowing a fierce red.

"Your life ends now, Erza Scarlet" before he could move, Erza flashed in front of him immediately, knocking him back far.

"Nakagami Armor" she breathed, "Will be the last thing you'll witness" glowering towards the black mage, "Nakagami Starlight" a bright flash sparked out of her hand and she lunged towards the mage.

She plunged the large spear into Zeref while Jellal jumped over head and raised two hands towards the ground, "Grand Chariot!" Bright magic circles lit up in the sky and ground until lights shot down around them continuously. The air picked up harshly and sent everything flying back. Jellal picked up Erza and pulled her away from the site.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - The Celestial Spirit King Summoned Ost"**_

* * *

Laxus continued to pummel lightning down into the ground while Gajeel coated his body with steel armor. Gray had his Demon ice bow out, aiming towards the flying demon. Dozens of pink ice arrows were shot into the sky and END just breathed out his black flames towards them in retaliation. Everyone jumped back before it touched them and Laxus yelled out quickly, "Everyone get down!" The lightning dragonslayer shot up into the sky and used telepathy, ' _Listen up everyone. I need you all to get out of here quickly. I've finished setting up Thunder palace and I refuse to let Gramps die in vain. We will beat these guys down if it's the last thing Fairy Tail ever does_ ' without another word his body shot up past END. The demon snarled as it went after the lightning dragon.

Gray huffed, "Time to borrow the old man's tactics for holding this thing down" His body forced out heavy amount of cold air as his eyes locked on the demon. Slamming both fists together, "Devil Ice make: Heaven's Tundra" Gray closed his eyes as he felt the ground solidify with ice. ' _When hes caged I'll go, we all will. Don't ruin this, Laxus_ ' Gajeel growled under his breath and ran out of the way before his anger got the best of him. He wanted to continue pummeling the demon. The ground under them shook before shooting up high into the air. Large pink ice columns encircled them and Gajeel barely got out. The ice impaled END from behind, freezing it in his place.

"DAMN YOU SLAYER!" the demon howled in pain. Gray snickered as his hair hung over his eyes, shadowing them.

He clenched his fist tightly, "Break" Several more ice columns shot up high into the sky before curling down and plunging into the demon once more. The ice closed itself in tightly and Gray stood on the top platform watching. He turned his gaze towards the lightning dragon in the sky and nodded.

 _'Now get out of here, Gray, it's my turn to shine'_ Laxus yelled loudly in his thoughts. Laxus flipped in the air as lightning crackled around him brightly. Punching his fists together his eyes started sparking brightly. He pointed his hands down towards the ground as the the thunder nearby roared louder, "Thunder Palace, Activate" crackles of electricity shot out from his body and into the skies rapidly. The sky flashed brightly a few times before hundreds of lightning bolts shot down. Gray barely got back into the guild in time before being blown back by the scorching blast. His back hit the wall and barely noticed Jellal and Erza across from him. The lightning scorched the entire area and Laxus fell from the sky. The devil ice shattered into pieces while END's body slowly fell down with it.

* * *

Happy watched as Lucy was walking slowly back towards the guild. Her golden flames were still wrapped tightly around the book.

"Lucy...Can you hear me?" the cat mumbled nervously. The girl didn't say anything as she kept walking. The guild was barely in view however, they saw nothing but flames and smoke radiating from the area. Happy flew overhead to get a better view and suddenly held his paws up to his face. The guild crumbled yet again and the city was covered in black ash. Sparks of electricity flickered in the sky while smoke filled the air thickly. The rain only lightened partially but, the flames that were left still burned whatever it was touching. The cat looked back down, "Lucy! i have bad news! The guild..."

...

Deep in Lucy's heart, she was crying. Crying so hard it started to hurt. She wanted the pain to stop. She wanted everything to stop. Lucy yearned for Natsu's voice, his real voice. The warm smile he gave her every time she looked at him. Every time she called his name. ' _Was it a dream?_ ' her thoughts started to haunt her, ' _Was it all a lie?_ ' His bright red eyes flashed across and Lucy cried out, ' _No, that's not him_ ' The low alluring voice echoed loudly in her head

 _'I've been watching this whole time, Luce. That moment when you first said you loved me..._ '

Lucy screamed loudly clutching her head as if in pain, _'I refuse to believe it. That's not you, it's not...'_

' _I've always been here, Lucy. Always...'_

Lucy shot out golden flames towards the horrific images. Her chest squeezed as she was being tormented. A small voice echoed in the back of her mind.

' _Protect, Lucy. Who is it you wish to protect, dearly?'_

Lucy's arms shook, "I want to protect everyone...I want to protect Natsu.." she cried quietly.

' _Stand up, child'_

Lucy stumbled weakly onto her legs. It tried to give out under her.

' _Who is it you wish to protect, Heartfilla?_ ' the voice echoed again.

"Everyone..." she whispered tiredly.

The bright golden flames shot out from all around her, closing in on her quickly.

' _Stand, fight, Protect. It's what we do, Wielder of the God's flame. Protect what you hold dear. Do not fear it'_

Lucy opened her eyes as she watched the golden flames engulf her.

' _Push back the darkness in you heart, embrace the light and let it burn out the pain. Protect, Lucy Heartfilla'_

Lucy closed her eyes as the flames continued to burn at her, consuming her entire being without a hint of doubt.

Moments later the flames stopped and her body glowed brightly, she slowly opened her eyes. Filled with light and power her body started to move on its own accord, towards the danger. Towards the people she wishes to protect.

...

Happy watched as they got closer towards the guild. The sounds of fighting stopped, it was deathly silent, other than the noise from the rain and falling debris. Lucy started to pick up her pace and ran towards the city center. Happy dropped down and closed in on the golden flaming girl.

"Lucy! Wait up!" Happy called out even though she still couldn't hear him.

Happy flew as fast as he could and finally caught up. For a moment he saw tears flying in the wind, "Lucy..." he stopped in the air and watched as the girl get closer towards the remaining flames in the city.

* * *

END opened his eyes and started growling quietly as he stood up, ' _Annoying humans. Pathetic...all of them_ ' His eyes looked around carefully and kicked the rest of the debris away. He roared loudly, making a horrifying sound echo in the air. All of a sudden his eyes shot open and felt something burning beneath him. His eyes looked down to see small flickers of golden flames at his feet. He stomped on it furiously only to see it glow brighter. Hissing under his breath, he flew into the air only to suddenly be pulled back down by an unseen force. A loud growl ripped from his chest as his eyes locked on an incoming bright light.

"Lucy, Have you come back for me?" END started cackling loudly, "Come to me, girl" he stood up again as the golden flames shot up into the air around him. He flew up again and charged towards the light. The golden flames followed him closely behind as he engulfed his body in dark flames.

* * *

 ** _"Song play - Fairy Tail - Guren no Ikari Ost(extended)"_**

* * *

The golden flames flew past Natsu making him suddenly stop in the air. He scowled down towards the girl, curious as to what she was doing. He noticed the lifeless eyes she had. Staring blankly up at him before it spoke, "Must...protect..." All of a sudden it disappeared. Natsu turned around quickly, looking for where she went. Before he caught her scent he was slammed down into the ground, his back burning from the flames. He roared and pushed her off before flying back up into the air. He flipped around and threw a wall of fire towards her. The girl flew right through it and slammed into him again. Grabbing him by the throat, she slammed his back into the cathedral, shattering the standing tower. Her body was glowing brightly and his flames did little to nothing against it.

"So you're going to kill me after all, is that it, Lucy?" he breathed out under his breath. Stretching his claws out towards her face and she crushed his neck further. He choked out a ragged cry before the girl spoke again.

"Protect...Natsu..." the girl spoke quietly. The demon's eyes widened before it laughed loudly.

"This is a twisted way of doing things, isn't it?" He kicked his feet at her, sending her back a few feet. His dark flames flickered over his body again before walking quickly towards her.

The girl stood up, looking barely hurt before a wall of golden flames shot up between them, "You won't go any further than this, demon" the girl spoke.

"Oh yeah?" he laughed wickedly, "Man, i always wanted to play with you again" it said in a playfully lower tone. He shot up into the air and lunged at her again with a flaming fist before she raised a hand and grabbed it. She crushed it immediately and the demon yelped in pain. Lucy threw the demon back before moving over to him slowly. Golden embers were left in her path before she stopped in front of him. The demon snarled before attempting another lunge at her. She waved her hand in the air as the golden flames shot between them. His whole body got caught into it. He roared loudly again, shaking the walls. The cathedral started to crumble beneath them and the floor gave in. The girl held up his book and his eyes widened. END fell through the floor as the golden flames continued to consume his being.

The book was smothered in the gold flames and steam was starting to emanate from it. The demon's back slammed into the ground in the center of the prayer's room. He got up carefully, throwing off the debris that fell onto him. He glared harshly towards the girl who was standing in front of him now. END could barely move within the golden flames but, he sure didn't stop trying. Raising a fist he lunged towards the girl and she only moved away slightly. She kicked him from behind and he slammed into the chairs beside them.

" _Etherious Natsu Dragneel, Your soul will be saved...For it is her wish_ " the girl spoke in a weird echo. The demon laughed loudly as he stood up again with one arm. He kicked the benches across, shattering them to pieces.

"Save me? Don't make me laugh. There is no saving, I've always been this way. That human side was merely the skin i hid under. I grew bored with this world and fell asleep until something interesting came along. Well what do you know, I'm interested" Grinning at her. The girl said nothing and watched as he walked closer to her. He lunged at her again and she moved away just as quickly as before. Only he pivoted and got her from behind, sending her forward. The girl fell over and he jumped on top of her, pinning her beneath him. He lowered his head to her ear as he spoke in a sickly sweet tone. Pulling her hair back, "You always liked it better this way, didn't you?" The girl didn't move as he raised his hand in the air, "Too bad it ends here, Luce" seconds before he can hit her, he was sent flying back by pink ice. Gray ran in, barely with any breath. His eyes locked onto the girl that was faced down.

"Lucy!" he ran over to her but END ran towards him.

"Stop getting in my way!" the demon hissed angrily.

Gray slammed his fists together, "Devil Ice make: Rupture!" pink ice spikes shot up from the ground and managed to hit the demons leg. It roared angrily and Gray ran towards Lucy. He kneeled over her quickly and picked her up slightly, "LUCY!" he yelled, "Lucy! Wake up! We need you!"

The girl turned her head to look at him. Her empty brown eyes had a tear fall when it spoke, "I have to...protect...everyone...Natsu" Gray's eyes widened.

He shook his head furiously, "No, You don't have to do anything. Come, we have to get out" before he can move he was punched from behind, knocking him forward into the ground.

"That hurt, you annoying devil slayer" END snarled. He raised his hands as dark flames started form into the air above him, "Burn with the sinners below, Hellfire crash!" the dark flames formed into a wall above and rapidly fell over Gray. Lucy's eyes suddenly filled with life and tackled END to the side. Gray managed to get out of the way as the flames plunged into the ground. Dark flames flickered off the ground in every direction. The benches started to burn all around.

Lucy got up quickly and grabbed the book she saw on the floor in front of her. END grabbed her leg and pulled her towards him. She screamed and clawed at the ground in front of her, "Where do you think you're going, Luce. I thought you came here for me?" he chuckled darkly.

Lucy screamed continuously before having her golden flames flicker off of her legs. He hissed loudly as he recoiled his arm back. Barely holding herself up, she reached towards the book and gripped it tightly. END started walking towards her again and Gray jumped into the air, "Devil Ice make, Zeroth Long Sword!" slamming the dark sword towards him. It cut the demons back and he snarled. Turning around, he grabbed Gray by the throat.

"I've had enough of you" but before he can do anything further, he saw Lucy pick up small remnants of the devil ice and with one swing, she stabbed the book into its center.

The demon turned his head over slightly, eyes widening. Blood started to spill from his lips as he dropped the boy. END kneeled over holding an arm out towards her, "Lucy..." Lucy fell over crying as she kept her hand onto the book.

The black haired boy walked in slowly behind her and suddenly flicked his finger towards the book. It flew out of her hands and Lucy turned around quickly. Zeref picked her up by the hair and held her face close to his, "I think that's enough for now, Heartfilla" he threw her across the room, back hitting the wall. The cathedral began to burn brighter as Zeref shook his head down towards END, "This is what happens when you play with your toys too long, Natsu" The black mage kneeled in front of the demon and tilted his chin up. The demon's eyes wavered slightly, "Now what're you going to do about it?"

The demon's eyes grew dark as it started to show its fangs, "I'm going to kill them..." it spoke under its breath.

Zeref smiled, "Then do it"

* * *

Natsu felt his mind growing darker. Unable to think of anything as he watched himself tear apart the city. He tried so hard to fight back but, failed. The demon side of him was too strong, rested for far too long. He squeezed his eyes shut as he was being trapped in the dark room again. He hated this place, hated being what he was. _'Lucy...'_ the blondes face shined brightly in his eyes but the moment he tried to reach for it, it burned. Watched her face distort and he cried in agony. He missed her smile, he missed holding her in his arms. How he wanted so badly to go back to the way things were. He wanted to protect her, that smile. Nothing more, nothing less. He watched in horror as his body moved on its own accord, attacking her friends, attacking her. The thing he swore he'd never do. Bile filled in his throat as the demon started taunting her, reliving his memories. Twisting it into something vile. He punched the ground, shaking from anger. Unable to protect the one thing he swore, ' _I must. Stop this. I must kill Zeref or she'll never smile again. Lucy...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry i can't...'_ His head hung low as the dark flames started to circle around him, _'I wanted to be with you. I wanted to grow old with you. I wanted to see that smile for the rest of our days but...'_ a tear fell, making the fire flicker up towards him, _'I wanted to believe in us, i wanted to believe that this could happen but, as fate has it...i can't, Lucy. Forgive me'_

* * *

" _ **Song play - Fairy Tail - Fist of Flame Ost(extended)"**_

* * *

Lucy got up shakily as she watched the black mage back away from the demon, "Now, no more playing or I'm going to punish you, END. Get rid of them and come back to me" Zeref sat in the only bench that wasn't burning. The walls started to collapse and the room was beginning to fill with smoke. END's eyes were a fierce bright red and it started to walk towards her. Lucy looked around quickly for his book and saw it on the far side of the room. Quickly kicking her feet up, she ran towards it. END lunged at her, smashing her back into the ground.

"Hold still, Luce" it hissed. Lucy let her golden flames engulf herself again but he wasn't moving. The girl watched as his skin was beginning to burn under his dark flames. She poured more magic into it and she started coughing. There was too much smoke in the room and she was starting to lose her consciousness.

"Open...gate...of the lion, Leo" even though she wasn't holding his key, she felt her magic drain from her and Leo emerged from the light. Still in his shining gold armor his eyes locked onto the demon over her and immediately kicked him off. The demon was sent back flying and crashed into the stone wall. Leo quickly helped her onto her feet, her arms were bloodied from the claws digging into her. Her face was badly bruised and Leo's heart sunk. However he didn't have time to talk, END was coming for them again.

"Stupid cat" END bared his sharp teeth towards the lion spirit and lunged. Leo used his blue flaming fists and connected it to the demon's face. Sending him flying back once more. Lucy pulled away from her spirit, limping towards the book on the ground. She fell over once but carefully pulled herself back up. Her fingers brushed it only to see the one hope taken away from her. Zeref was standing in front of her and he stepped harshly onto her fingers.

"Who said you can keep taking my things?" he smiled down to her. He kneeled in front of her and pulled her head up again, "What is it about him that keeps you going, hm? His looks? personality?" he trailed off until Gray slammed an ice sword through the mage's chest.

"How about none of the above, bastard" He ripped the sword out of the man's chest and Lucy felt his grip loosen. She quickly grabbed the book away from him and ran behind Gray. They watched as Leo threw continuous punches at the demon.

"Thanks" she whispered before limping away from the black mage. Gray looked down to him and scowled, "Devil Ice make: Dark Closure" using his one hand, he clenched his fist tightly as pink ice swallowed Zeref whole.

He ran over back to Lucy, "That bought us maybe a couple minutes. What do you need from this book?" he eyed her carefully and more debris fell from the ceiling.

"I think i can save him, Gray. I know i can, i just have to find it in here" She opened the book again and it started to burn. Gray grabbed her arms tightly, cooling her body down.

"Even if you save him, then what? I hate to break it to you but, You have to know. I swore not to say anything but i have to. If Zeref dies, Natsu dies with him. Just like that" he yelled.

Lucy's fingers froze as she turned her head towards him. Small memories flashed in her mind.

 _"You'll fight him back won't you. You won't let him dictate your life. Natsu this is your chance, to take back what you lost" she pleaded. She buried her face into his arms again._

 _Natsu growled slightly under his breath and looked down towards the old man, "I'm afraid it won't be that simple, Lucy"_

 _"What do you mean?" she spoke quietly into him._

 _Natsu closed his eyes and almost hissed the words he spoke, "If Zeref dies. I'll die with him"_

Lucy started shaking as the words echoed loudly in her ears. Everything came flooding back to her, "How could i have...forgotten..." Gray clenched his jaw.

"Makarov allowed you a peace of mind for your sake. You had a meltdown about it. He made you forget so you can spend your whole day smiling instead" He said quietly. The lion spirit continued battling with the demon. Leo was punched upwards harshly as the demon continued to push him back further into the corner.

Lucy shook her head, "I can't believe..."

"Lucy you have a choice. You can save this world from burning into ash or you save him only to watch him die. Either way, There is no winning this" the ice mage yelled.

Lucy sobbed again as her fingers gripped around the book. Scorch marks were starting to show around her hands as the words floated in the air around her. The smoke was growing thicker and the cathedral was barely standing, "I have to save him. I have to regardless. I have to protect what little he has left, Gray"

Gray sighed heavily and nodded, "Fine. Can't say i didn't warn you" He grabbed her arm and started to pour his devil slayer magic into her. White steam started to radiate from her and END snapped his gaze towards them but before he can move Leo punched him into the ground. The floor shook and it started to crack. The ceiling was starting to cave in and the armored spirit ran towards Lucy. END fell through the floor again and Leo jumped over the hole. Gray picked up the celestial mage and they ran out of the Cathedral. The ice holding Zeref started to crack.

"This girl is out of her mind, Leo!" the ice mage huffed as he placed her down outside. The Cathedral started to fall and Leo pushed them ahead.

"You have to keep going, this area is too dangerous to stand in!" Leo yelled.

Gray turned his head towards them, "What about you?!" he yelled.

The lion spirit smiled faintly, "I have to protect my princess. I will never die, remember?" and he ran back into the cathedral. A large stone fell and covered the entrance behind him. The ground shook from the falling rocks and Gray pulled Lucy away.

"What about Natsu?!" Lucy cried stretching her arm out behind her.

"Don't worry about that now. If you had stayed there any longer, It wouldn't just be him dying, Lucy. Think for once, please!" Gray pulled her over behind a half broken wall and sat down. He breathed heavily as she placed the book down. Lucy opened it again and the words shot out with the same dark letters.

The ice mage looked over with one eye and grabbed her hand again, "What are you doing, Lucy?"

"I have to find where his human side is. I have to! if i can find it, i can try to find a way to let him out! There has to be something!" her eyes watched as the letters circled around her rapidly. Gray watched as her skin was starting to burn and he forced the last bit of his devil slayer magic into her, keeping the heat at bay.

Lucy breathed heavily, sweat dripping down her face as she closed her eyes. Feeling the words flow into her body, to her mind.

' _help...me..._ '

Her eyes snapped open, "I found him!" she yelled.

Gray leaned over quickly, "What?!" he said confusedly.

Lucy shook her head and started raising her hand towards the letters. Golden flames flickered off her and kept one hand onto the book and one hand in the air. Dark flames shot out as she started re-writing the letters into the book. There was a large quake suddenly, making some buildings tumble down in front of them.

Lucy continued to rewrite the letters quickly while Gray watched her quick paced movements, almost as if her hand had a mind of its own. Her eyes started darkening and her breathing got heavier. The dark lettering's started to glow and shot back down into the book, closing on itself. Lucy squeezed her eyes shut as she fell back into Gray.

"Lucy, are you alright?" he asked, shaking her shoulders slightly.

Lucy fluttered her eyes opened and grimaced, "I think, i did it. I think, Natsu will wake up now. I told the book, i told the book to believe in us. To believe that he can be stronger than darkness itself, to beat Zeref back where he belongs" her eyes closed.

* * *

Leo fell below the cathedral's flooring, searching for the demon. His ears strained listening past the shaking rocks and falling debris. He was suddenly kicked from behind and sent skidding across the dirt. Leo re-gained his footing and turned around to see two bright red eyes glaring at him.

"You really are starting to grate on my nerves, cat" it hissed. He watched as the creature faded back into the darkness and the spirit got up quickly. He lit his hands with the blues flames. Hearing a sudden footstep behind, he pivoted and swung his arm behind. The demon was knocked back a few feet and hit the back stone wall. END snarled and small growls echoed in the area.

"I can say the same for you, Natsu. What happened to you wanting to protect her? Have you forgotten so easily?" Leo yelled angrily, "I've put my trust into you! Wake up you stupid boy. Lucy is crying her heart out for you!"

The demon started laughing loudly, "So what? She was the one who trusted me. How easy it was to take her heart. So naive..."

The room grew quiet again and Leo jumped, catching his arms onto a wooden beam. He saw a flicker of red in the distance and swung himself towards it. His feet collided towards the backside of the demon, sending him flying back again and fell onto the ground.

"She loved you. I believed in that. She believed in you. Your the one who was weak, you caved in to your inner darkness like the weak human you are"

END snarled harshly and lunged towards the lion, "How dare you speak so little of me. I was never born to be human, remember that stupid cat!" he punched Leo across the room and hit has back into the sharp rocks. His armor started to crack. Leo wheezed heavily and got up. The demon was already in front of him and kicked him back down, "We don't have feelings" it spoke in a low harsh tone, "We take what we want and move on. Natsu never loved her, he still never said it to her. HE deluded himself into thinking otherwise. Protect? Don't make me laugh" END punched Leo's face in again and grabbed him by the neck, speaking through his teeth, "That girl is going to die today. It'll be the last time anyone speaks of Natsu the human boy"

Leo shoved him back with his dark blue flames. Natsu growled and jumped up through the ceiling, "Get back here, coward! I'm not done with you!" Leo ran after him, hearing the demon cackle loudly.

"I'm done with you! That girl is mine now" END's voice faded.

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Tsuioku Mezameru Tamashii(extended)"**_

* * *

Lucy moved away from the wall and picked up the book. Gray helped her stand up as more debris fell from behind.

"Look we have to get out of here, We can't sit around hoping that maybe he has a sudden change of heart" Gray said quickly as he pulled her.

"NO! We have to wait for him" Lucy said quickly and pulled away, "I know you can't stand him, I can't stand that side of him either but, I'm not going to stand down and watch him fall apart. I believe in him, Gray. I know he still does too. I heard his voice...i heard it pleading so quietly" she held a hand to her face as more tears fell. Gray walked up to her slowly, "I have to do this for us" Gray held her tightly until his eyes caught something coming in the distance.

"Shit, you better hope that little hope of yours saves us..." Gray glowered towards the shadowed, red eyed figure approaching.

Lucy turned her head around and her eyes widened, "Natsu..."

Gray shook his head and pulled her back, "No. That's not him, can't you see that Lucy? How long does it take for that to kick in?"

Lucy shook her head, "Let me go, Gray"

"Lucy!" she shoved him back and walked towards the demon.

"Lucy...Heartfilla" the demon said in a quiet tone. He held his hand out to her when it stopped walking.

Lucy stopped a few feet in front of him, "Natsu, When are you going to wake up. I know you can hear me" She clutched the book tighter towards herself.

The demon chuckled quietly, "How delusional you are..." he moved closer to her and touched her face with his bloodied claws.

Tears fell down her eyes as her heart started to beat nervously, "Natsu please. You promised me, You promised everything will be okay. You said it yourself that you'll never hurt me"

"Did i? Funny, i don't remember" he grabbed her throat and she dropped the book.

"LUCY!" Gray ran towards her but END raised his hand and shot dark flames towards the mage. Being completely exhausted from his magic, he got hit directly and sent flying back.

Leo came running in from behind, "LUCY!" he yelled.

END tightened his grip onto the girl and whispered into her ear, "Any last words for me, Luce?" its voice echoed in her head and Lucy coughed heavily.

"I love you, Natsu" she said with a smile. She raised a hand to his face and watched as his eyes widened.

* * *

' _Let her go, Damn it!_ ' Natsu yelled loudly in his thoughts. ' _I promised that i wouldn't ever hurt her! She believes in me! I felt it_!' Dark flames started to brighten the dark room. Natsu poured all of his remaining dark magic around, forcing his way out.

The demon dropped his grip on the girl and Lucy fell over coughing. END fell onto his knees gripping his head harshly - Roaring in agony.

 _'I love you Natsu'_ her voice continued to ring in his head.

Natsu yelled louder in his mind as he watched the girl's smile brighten his dark world. ' _I promised I'd never hurt her. I promised that I'd protect her smile. I have to...I have to protect Lucy Heartfilla'_

' _Stop fighting you stupid boy'_ the demon hissed harshly.

 _'You're not the boss of me, I'm my own person!'_ Natsu yelled as the dark flames engulfed his body.

 _'You're just as delusional as she is. Without me, You'd be some deadbeat in the ground'_ the growls echoed loudly.

Natsu laughs, ' _Why am i arguing with you. You mean nothing to me. I don't need you'_

The demon snarled, ' _You're nothing without me'_

' _I can say the same for you. Where would you be if i wasn't here?'_

The growls grew louder, ' _I'm going to smother you into oblivion boy. Mark my words_ ' and the dark flames started to turn black.

' _How about i propose a deal, stupid demon_ ' Natsu forced his flames out again, ' _How about we both just die? Call it even'_

The demon snarled, ' _and you say I'm twisted. The only one that's going to die is you. The weakness i should've destroyed centuries ago'_

Natsu's voice grew quiet, ' _Why not kill Zeref? He left us alone for centuries'_

 _..._

' _We don't mean anything to him. He wants us to give him peace, give him what he wants. Get rid of him finally_ ' Natsu spoke louder and the flames glowed brighter.

 _'I'm listening_ ' it hissed,

' _He bossed you around, making you do all the dirty work. Why should you listen to him? He made you to be stronger than him_ ' Natsu stood up as the red flames flickered strongly. The black walls started to crack.

' _You have an interesting choice of words, boy_ ' the demon growled quietly, ' _Kill Zeref and then maybe i can get some peace of my own'_

Natsu closed his eyes, _'Lucy...I...'_

* * *

Lucy watched as the demon fell over withering in pain. Dark shadows started to leave his body and his flames became brighter. His dark pink locks of hair started to get lighter. Lucy's eyes widened as she watched him collapse over.

"Natsu...?"

She slowly moved over to him and touched him gently. The lion spirit walked slowly towards them. Lucy held END's head onto her lap and her fingers started to brush through his grit filled hair. Tears started to fall down her face and fell onto him.

"Natsu...Is that you?" she breathed heavily.

"Lu...cy...Lucy...I...came back...for you" his voice was hoarse and Lucy fell over him with tears. Leo eyes widened as he fell onto his knees.

* * *

 **AN: AHHH! i can't even right now...so many feels...how about you guys? are you guys ready to see the final chapter tuesday? So many things happened and it all comes down to this..you all have been soldiers for making it this far, *claps* Thank you all so much for the continued support (;^;)/ Leave a review if you so choose to, itd make my day to hear from you guys :3  
**

 **Now for the preview!**

* * *

*~ _..."I want you to smile for me"..._ ~*

 **See you all in the final chapter! (runs crying...)**


	27. Chapter 26: Smile

**AN: With this final main chapter taking this story to a close, i think i want to cry...  
**

 **I never thought I'd make it this far. In honesty, i had the ending planned out for a very long time, way before i even started writing.** **This piece kept replaying in my head, a story begging to be told and well i started writing until it finally led here.**

 ** _Anyway Enjoy and there will be a small epilogue and things later this week so...without further ado...onward's soldiers!_ **

**...**

 **(There will be no preview for the epilogue, i'm keeping that to myself until i finally post it)**

* * *

 _ **"Song play - Fairy Tail - Tsuioku Mezameru Tamashii(extended)"**_

* * *

Lucy stayed there, pouring her heart out into this moment. Finally seeing her Natsu back. The Natsu she missed so very much. She moved her head down kissing him gently - repeatedly. Tears continued to fall relentlessly, feeling her body tremble from every sob. Leo didn't move and faded into a gold light. His magic was drained but relieved to see Lucy alright for the time being. Gray was left unconscious on the ground and the burning building continued to collapse beside them.

"Natsu, Natsu.." she kept repeating his name almost as if she was reassuring herself that he was real.

His breathing was staggering and his body was badly beaten. She brushed more dirt out of his hair and pulled his heavy body over her more. Holding him tightly onto her as sobs continued to escape her. He coughed a few times and barely opened his eyes. His fingers brushed the side of her tear-stained cheeks. His face was filled with pain and remorse. Cursing his inner self for the damage it has done.

"Lucy..." he breathed, nuzzling his nose into her face. He breathed in her fiery scent deeply and felt Lucy nodding her head.

"Shh..." she hushed silently. She continued to pat down his hair gently, "We have to get out of here. Just the two of us" she grabbed his hand gently that was on her cheek. She kissed his palm, listening to his heart beat for her.

"Lucy, I can't,,," his voice was slightly hoarse.

"You can, we have to go" She tried moving him up but he didn't budge, "Natsu...?"

He stumbled upwards and Lucy caught him quickly, "Lucy, there is something i have to do" He swallowed thickly and brushed her cheek gently, "I have to stop Zeref"

Lucy's breath hitched, "No. No you're not. We are leaving now"

Natsu closed his eyes as tears started to fall, "I have to" He kissed her forehead gently and she started to cry again. Her heart squeezed painfully knowing what his words meant.

"Natsu, I'm not losing you again, We have to go now" A loud explosion was heard in the distance.

Natsu turned his gaze slightly behind him and Lucy started to whimper, "Lucy, Don't make this any harder than it is. I'm the only one who can"

Lucy starting sobbing, "I just got you back. I just got you back and i refuse to let you go again!"

Natsu pulled her close into his chest and buried his face into her hair. Her shaking body made his own heart squeeze. Another explosion was made and a shadow started to emerge from it.

"He's here, Luce. I have to stop him before he destroys everything in existence before himself" His voice was starting to shake and he squeezed his eyes shut.

The shadowed figure emerged from the fiery smoke. More stones started to fall and smash into pieces as it hit the ground.

"Natsu, No. I'm not, I can't" Lucy started to pull him but he didn't budge. "Natsu!" she screamed.

"Isn't this a heart warming reunion" Zeref said with disgust, "How irritated i feel seeing you take away my things again, Heartfilla" Raising his fingers towards her. Natsu growled harshly and turned around, baring his canines at him.

"You will not hurt her anymore, Zeref" he snarled and lunged at him with a large flaming fist. Zeref grabbed his hand and extinguished the flame.

"I told you, It's going to take a lot more than that. I told you to kill her and you played around with that stupid cub again" Zeref sent Natsu flying back into Lucy. Her back crushed into the wall and Natsu yelped in pain. He quickly pulled himself up and picked up Lucy carefully as well.

His eyes turned into a bright red as he glared furiously at the black mage, "I'm going to kill you this time, _brother_ "

"You can try" Zeref held his hands out and Natsu placed down Lucy. Her breathing was weak and her eyes were barely open. Her vision was beginning to blur.

She stretched her hand out towards him, "Natsu...please don't" she breathed quietly.

Natsu lunged towards Zeref and punched him with his full force. The black mage skidded across the ground with dirt being picked up with it. A black aura started to emanate around him and charged towards the demon again.

"No more games, Natsu. To the death!" Zeref yelled. His fist collided into Natsu's own and sent them both skidding back a few feet. Natsu spread open his wings and dived towards the mage.

The black mage started to perform fast paced hand signs and slammed a hand towards the ground, "...devour" he breathed. A black wave of magic soared out into the sky and lunged towards Natsu.

 _'Protect'_

The voice echoed in Lucy's head, making her head throb slightly.

Natsu punched the black magic out of the air and soared higher into the sky. He breathed dark flames towards the ground. Zeref aimed several black magic bombs towards the demon and only one of them hit. Natsu roared in pain and almost lost his balance in the air.

 _'Protect those who you hold dearly'_

Natsu dived down, slamming his full body weight into the ground. Large embers of fire flickered off every where as he knocked Zeref back. The black mage had his back slammed onto the ground and the demon flew to him quickly. Stretching his claws out, he punched the black-haired boy a few times before being kicked back a few feet.

 _'Protect everyone and everything that you love'_

Lucy started to stand up slowly.

Zeref ran towards Natsu and threw more black magic towards him. Natsu growled as he lunged towards the man. His feet collided into his chest and sent him back. He flew towards him quickly and a large ball of flames started to form in his hands.

 _'Do not fear the power, use it to your heart's content. You must protect, Heartfilla'_

Natsu smashed the flaming ball into Zeref and a large explosion was made. Zeref jumped into the air and started forming another magic circle, "Natsu, how long are you going to keep playing?" he shot out strings of black magic and it coiled around Natsu's limbs. Natsu snarled and started pulling them apart. His flames flickered harshly around. Lucy's body started to glow brightly.

 _'It was your fate, your destiny to protect everything'_

Zeref yanked Natsu down into the ground creating a small crater from the impact. Zeref stepped onto Natsu's hands and ground them in, "Is this really the best you can do? This is why i brought your true nature out. Your humanity is your weakness. I should've never given you a choice" he spoke harshly. Lucy's body ignited into a bright white flame as she got closer to them.

 _'Devour the darkness, destroy everything remaining of it. Protect him, Lucy. Protect Natsu'_

Natsu snapped the black magic strings apart and pulled down Zeref to the ground. The man's head hit the ground harshly. Trickles of blood slid down his face. The demon raised his arm and stretched out his claws as he hovered over Zeref. The black mage laughed wickedly and smiled while he closed his eyes, "Do it" he breathed.

 _'Save him, Lucy Heartfilla!'_

Bright white flames shot out from her towards the two people.

However, she was a second too late. Natsu plunged his claws into Zeref's chest. The mage coughed up blood and continued to smile, "Finally..." The white flames rushed over towards the black mage and engulfed his entire being. Natsu was flung back across the ground. His eyes widened when he saw Lucy looking brighter than a star. She turned brighter than anything he ever saw before. He got up slowly and suddenly felt a pain in his chest.

 _'The darkness has been destroyed. Lucy, you've saved everyone'_

The white flames started to disappear away from the spot. There was nothing left there. Lucy fell onto her knees as she felt the magic draining from her rapidly.

' _It was nice being with you, Heartfilla. Be proud. Our services are no longer needed. Live well for you and your...'_

The voice faded as well as the burning flames inside of her. Lucy fell over gasping for air. Her body shook, feeling the warm sensation disappearing entirely. Lucy got up slowly and saw Natsu barely standing, covered in blood. She staggered and stumbled as she walked over towards him. Tears fell from her eyes in waves.

* * *

 _ **"Final song play until the end - Fairy Tail - Sad theme (piano version extended)"**_

* * *

She fell over him and knocked him onto his back, "It's over, Natsu, it's over" she cried repeatedly. Natsu brushed her hair back behind her ears and stared into her crying eyes. His chest tightened painfully.

"Yeah, it is" he murmured as he brought her head to him closely. Lucy fell over him entirely as he embraced her tightly into his arms.

"Natsu, what's going to happen to you" she sobbed between words. She breathed in his smell trying to embed it into her soul.

"I don't know" he kissed her head gently and buried his face into her neck. Another sharp pain soared through him. He winced and took in a deep breath.

"Natsu, don't die on me please..." Lucy sobbed painfully. She squeezed him tighter. He turned his head to the side and saw in the distance his book. It was starting to burn.

He closed his eyes and smiled, "Lucy. I'll always be here" he moved her face towards his and kissed her lips gently, "I'll always be here" A tear fell down his cheek as more pain washed through him.

Lucy nodded her head as she pulled herself up slightly. Natsu pulled her back down, "Don't move, don't. Stay right here"

"Natsu...?" Lucy whispered quietly.

"I just want you here" he smiled to her. He opened his eyes and brushed his thumb across her cheek, to her lips. Feeling every bit of it. A stronger pain shot through him and Lucy saw it in his eyes.

"Natsu, are you alright?" she spoke with slight panic.

He shook his head, "I'll be fine. Don't worry about it" He pulled her face to him closely. Brushing his fingers in her golden hair. He glanced over towards the book that was half way burned up, "You know what i want right now, Luce?" he murmured into her ear.

"Hm?" she moved herself up slightly and stared into his dark green eyes, the red hue barely lingered.

"I want you to smile for me" Natsu grinned at her. Another pain shot through him and his heart started to falter.

Lucy grimaced.

"That's not a smile, Luce. Do it like this" he pulled his lips up into a tight smile.

She laughed and Natsu's eyes widened, "yeah like that, Luce" He laughed with her and she stood up. Natsu carefully pulled himself up and eyes fell onto the book again. He pulled her closer to him again - sighing heavily, "You know, About that house..." he breathed quietly.

Lucy looked up to him confused, "You mean it?"

He nodded, "I want a big house and maybe a kid running around" he laughed lightly.

Lucy smiled brightly at him and his heart squeezed. He pulled her face into his and kissed her passionately. Putting every last bit of his efforts into it. Another sharp pain washed through him. He pulled away slightly and leaned his head onto her, "I want you to keep smiling like that for me, Luce. Don't you ever frown for me again" She shook her head.

"I promise, now let's get out of here" He suddenly tugs at her again and felt his heart slow down. Wincing, he looks at her face, "Natsu...?"

"Don't move. Close your eyes Luce" he breathed shakily. She did what she was told and leaned into him, "Don't open your eyes, keep it closed. Don't you dare peek"

"Natsu..." he watched as his hands started to fade into the air.

"You know, i honestly wish i never destroyed this town." he continued talking as his arms started to fade.

"It can always be rebuilt though" she whispered.

"I guess so" his heart started to stop, "Luce..."

"Yeah?"

"I...L-"

It got quiet, too quiet. She waited a few moments before realizing she didn't feel him anymore.

"Natsu?..." she opened her eyes, "Natsu?..." she turned around a few times. "Natsu...?" her voice started to waiver. Gray saw the whole thing, heard everything. He walked to her slowly and Lucy saw him.

"Lucy.." he stumbled towards her.

"Gray have you seen Natsu?" she looked around, starting to panic, "He was just here..."

"Lucy...Natsu.." Lucy looked around feeling confused.

Gray watched as she walked around, "Natsu?!" she called out loudly, "This isn't funny!" Gray held out his hand and watched as the last bit of the book fading into dust.

"Lucy...Natsu is gone" he said suddenly. Lucy whipped her head around towards the ice mage.

"...what? He was just here...Gray, that isn't nice. I know you didn't like him but-"

"He's gone...I saw it. Lucy, he distracted you. He distracted you, so you wouldn't see him fading into dust" He slid down onto his knees. A part of him will never forgive Natsu. A part of him wished for this deeply. However, he wanted to see his friend happy too. Natsu destroyed this town and yet saved everyone.

"...What..." Lucy's eyes widened and tears started to swell up again, "But he promised..." Lucy watched as her world started to fade. Didn't hear Gray talking anymore. She watched as the world fell apart in front of her. Her heart squeezed painfully, her chest tightened.

' _Smile for me_ '

Lucy closed her eyes and started to cry again,

' _I want you to keep smiling like that for me, Luce. Don't you ever frown for me again_ '

Lucy felt her chest swell up with pain and screamed, "NATSUUU!" Her scream was so loud, it deafened the skies.

Gray ran to her side and picked her up immediately. Leo appeared, looking normal again with his usual suit and glasses.

"Gray, what happened to her!?" Leo spoke as he saw the girl going hysterical. She was pushing Gray away and punching him weakly.

"NATSUUU!" she screamed louder.

Gray shook his head, "We have to get her out of here" Leo nodded and helped her into the building.

* * *

They ran into the only room that didn't fall into pieces inside of the guild. The infirmary.

Erza was standing by Jellal who was already trying to help Gray.

"Where's Natsu?" Erza asked.

Gray and Leo both shook their heads at her.

The scarlet mage fell silent and watched the girl being put to sleep by Jellal, "Fate has a strange way of making things happen" he said quietly.

Leo eyed the sleeping girl, "So you can sense it too?" The blue-haired male's smile was faint as he nodded.

Gray looked up to the lion spirit confused, "sense what?"

Erza moved closer to Jellal and placed a hand onto his shoulder, "Do you know something?"

Jellal looked to Leo and nodded, "I think he knows"

Leo grimaced and closed his eyes, "Natsu, Left her something. Something she'll never forget"

Gray eyed him curiously, "Like what? He's gone, the Book is gone..."

Jellal smiled a little more and looked down to Gray, "I think it's best if you wait and see in a month or so"

* * *

Lucy ran into the bathroom feeling sick and nauseated. Holding herself over the toilet as she curled over. She placed a sweaty palm over her face and sighed heavily.

"What did i eat last night?" she looked up towards the pale ceiling and tried to stand up, "Maybe i should ask Wendy. This is the third time this week.."

Lucy got out of the restroom of the guild and wobbled over towards the infirmary.

 _The guild was slowly being rebuilt and half the town has returned. It's been 4 weeks since the fight happened. Four whole weeks felt like years to Lucy. Four weeks without..._

"Lucy!" Wendy smiled to her, "What's wrong?" her face fell when she saw the sickly blonde walk towards the white bed.

"I should just live in this room" she groaned.

"Let me help you" she said quickly as she moved Lucy into a more comfortable position.

"Can i just get a quick pill and move on? I'm dying here. Third time I've been running to the bathroom in the mornings this week" Lucy sighed heavily as Wendy continued to help her.

The dragonslayer's eyes widened, "Lucy...i don't believe..." the small dragonslayer ran out of the room quickly without another word.

"Great, more fun news" Lucy closed her eyes. She breathed in heavily as she tried to relax.

* * *

 _The blonde walked across the sandy beach. The waves brushed at her toes and felt the salty sea breeze wash through her hair. They were still at the beach before leaving for the surprise that night. Lucy turned her head to see Natsu smiling down at her. Holding her hand gently. His salmon-pink locks tinted orange from the sunset._

"Lucy" _he whispered as the wind carried his words._

"Hm?" _she smiled up to him, brown eyes twinkling from the faint sunlight._

 _He stopped and faced her. Lowering his head, he whispered to her,_ "Tell me again, How much do you love me?" _he snickered. Her smile was the brightest thing in the view right now. Her small laugh rang like bells in his ears.  
_

"More than anything in this world. So much i think the stars will be jealous" _she snickered back and leaned her head into him._

 _He laughed and held her tightly,_ "Maybe when all of this mess is over" _he whispered quietly_ , "We can live off far away. Just us"

 _Lucy tilted her head up towards him confused,_ "Just us? No one else?'

 _Natsu shook his head smiling at her. A small glimmer of his canines poked through_ , "Just us. What do you think?"

 _Lucy closed her eyes and hummed_ , "Maybe. There's still so much to do" _She listened to his strong heart beating in her ear. His smokey fiery smell filled her nose._

"Think about it, no one will judge how much you can eat" _he stifled a laugh when Lucy playfully smacked his shoulder. He started to run from her,_ "Oh come on, It wouldn't hurt to lose a little weight" _Lucy huffed and chased after him down the beach shore. She tackled Natsu and fell over him. Her heart was racing and started to pick up more-so when she stared into his dark emerald like eyes, it shined brightly from the sunset. She leaned her head onto his and smiled as she closed her eyes._

"I love you, Natsu" _she breathed happily,_ "More than anything in this world"

"I know" _he mumbled as he kissed her._

* * *

Wendy came running back into the room pulling Gray, Erza, Jellal, Laxus, Gajeel, Levy, Cana, everyone. Lucy opened her eyes when she heard people whispering and grunting.

"Wendy?..."

The small dragonslayer beamed at her, "Lucy! You're pregnant!"

All eyes fell on her and Gray snickered and fell into a fit of laughs, "So that's what you guys meant?"

Jellal smiled brightly down to her, "Not all hope is lost, It seems fate has many ways of making things happen. Congratulations, Lucy"

Gajeel rolled his eyes, "Tch, 'gratz on a new brat running around, Blondie"

Levy beamed towards Lucy and jumped into her arms, "Oh my god! i call dibs on being godmother!

Happy flew into Lucy, "Lucy! You better teach them about fish!" he grinned, "Or i can! Oh!-" Happy continued on while Erza nodded towards the paling blonde.

"Congratulations, Lucy" she hugged the blonde tightly into a hug, "You best take care of the baby, I'm sure he would be very happy and proud of you right now" she whispered quietly to Lucy.

Gray raised a hand behind his head and his face went pink, "Congratulations"

Juvia smacked him on the back playfully, "When are we going to have one?"

Gray's eyes widened as his face flushed, "I-I don't know..."

Cana sat on the bed beside Lucy and tossed her some sparkling water, "So what's baking in the oven, Boy or girl?" she winked, "Oi, Wendy, are you able to tell such things?" Wendy's face tinted pink.

"Only if it's okay with Miss Lucy..."

Laxus huffed and Mira elbowed him, "Be nice, Laxus or you are going to show a bad example towards the future generation"

"Congrats Blondie"

"Oi you're blond too" Panther lily spoke out suddenly. Eyes fell to him when he looked towards the girl, "Congratz, Lucy" The black cat walked away with Gajeel.

"it seems Laxus is still a bit under stress about being the new master. He's been grumpy the past week" Mira smiled towards the girl, "If you need anything, Lucy. Let me know, I'll come running. Oh and my sincerest congratulations. I call dibs on being the best aunt" she squealed and skipped out of the room.

Lucy's head went dizzy as she tried to process everything that just happened.

"I'm going to be a mom?..." she said quietly. Everyone looked at her confused.

Cana nudged her, "You going to be okay? I know people go through mood swings but, i don't think this is one of them. Aren't you happy?"

Lucy started to cry slightly.

Gray walked over to her confused as well as Juvia. Everyone started to crowd her, "I think Miss Lucy needs some time" Wendy spoke quietly. People looked at each other and nodded.

Lucy sobbed continuously and suddenly spoke, "I'm just so happy" she mumbled, "I can...I can have a family after all" she breathed between sobs, "He kept one of his promises..."

Everyone watched as the girl cried her heart out and then she fell asleep.

* * *

Lucy started packing her bags and was getting ready to go on a small journey. A part of her didn't want to leave and yet something urged her to. The feeling of wanting to explore the world she never saw. She figured if she stayed here any longer in Magnolia, it'll do nothing but cause her pain. Lucy was already 5 months into her pregnancy and smiled every time she looked into the mirror.

' _I really am leaving, aren't i?_ " her hand reached over the small bump and smiled. Closing her eyes she can faintly smell the traces of the fiery smoke lingering. A tear rolled down her cheek, wishing he was here with her. Here with their child. She jumped slightly when something kicked and she opened her eyes. More tears started to spill and felt another kick inside.

' _You want to see daddy too don't you?_ ' she thought to herself. The kicking stopped and Lucy sighed. She picked up her bags and started to walk out of the Fairy Hills home. She stopped when she saw Gray waiting outside with Juvia leaning onto him.

"Leaving so soon?" he asked.

"Yeah, I need to stretch my wings, or so they say." she smiled.

"Gray-Sama proposed!" Juvia squealed in delight. Lucy's eyes widened and looked to Gray.

His face went red again and put a hand behind his head, "Way to announce it, Juvia"

"The whole world has to know. Gray-Sama is mine!" she squealed.

Lucy laughed brightly at him and put out her hand, "Congratulations, Gray and Juvia" she bowed to them slightly.

"You're going to be alright alone, Lucy?" he asked eyeing the round bump.

"I won't exactly be alone but, I'll be alright. Besides i have my spirits" holding her keys out in front of her for them to see.

"Ah, i see" he turned away and looked towards the sun setting.

"Gray..." Lucy mumbled.

"Yeah?" he looked at her and tilted his head slightly.

"Would you mind doing the honors of being the godfather, when i come back?" she asked nervously and looked away.

His eyes popped and held a hand to his face confused, "god...what...uhm...what?"

Juvia smacked him across the head, "You're suppose to say of course! It's quite the honor you fool"

Lucy grimaced and shook her head, "If it bothers you its fine. I was just curious" she looked away again and bit her lip.

Gray walked up to her and touched her shoulder, "I wouldn't mind, Lucy. You're like a little sister to me. I would love to"

Lucy's face lit up slightly and hugged him, "Thank you" she said happily.

Juvia smiled at them and Gray held her back, "I'm curious though. You didn't ask Loke?"

Lucy laughed loudly and his eyes widened, "I thought about it but, i think he fits more of that crazy uncle thing"

Everyone laughed.

Lucy waved to them away as she started to walk down the small hill carefully. She saw the guild in the distance and felt her heart squeeze.

 _'I smiled, Natsu. I'm smiling again for you. I'm going to see the world you wanted me to see and I'm taking our child with us. I wanted it to be a surprise on whether or not if its a boy or girl. I made everyone promise to keep it a secret from me. I bet you would to. I know that. I'll get us the house you wanted and there is just one more thing i wanted to do. You think mom would be happy? I know she'll probably tell me the same thing. To smile and be happy. I find it hard sometimes, i really do. Every time i wake up, i look for you. Every time i eat, i wonder to myself, What would you make this time? I know, I know i shouldn't be thinking so much about the what if's but, it's the only thing keeping me going at the moment. I want to be able to tell our child the stories and adventures in the future...'_

"Lucy!" Happy yelled towards the blonde. Charle was flying with him and Wendy was shortly behind them, "Why can't i go with you" the cat flew into her chest and cried.

"I'll be back, Happy. It's just for a little while, i promise"

 _'Promise. How loose that term can be...'_

"Lucy, i really think you should stay at least until you deliver." Wendy went to hug the girl tightly and Lucy grimaced. She pushed back the girls blue hair gently, "You are the little sister I've always dreamed of, you know that?" The small dragonslayer blushed.

 _'Dreams. How easy they come and go...'_

"She has a point. It could be reckless, Miss Lucy. I think he wouldn't be too happy seeing you wandering around alone" Charle huffed.

 _'Alone. Something everyone endures at least once in their life...'_

"I won't be alone. Look, i have my spirits and if anything happens, I'll call out for them. I'll see you guys soon" Lucy waved to them with a faint smile lingering.

 _'Family. It's the hardest thing to live with, hardest thing to live without. One of the many reasons why i wanted to go traveling. Maybe i can finally reunite with my father if i can ever find a trace of him. There are still zodiac keys to find. The 13th key still sits in my pouch. I honestly expected worse from it. Leo lectured me for awhile but was glad it didn't turn out for the worst. However, i guess in life, somethings did turn out for the worst'_

Lucy's eyes fell towards the setting sun and watched the sky turn pink, orange, purple and blue. The breeze carried her golden hair in the air.

 _'Natsu, if you're watching, Do you promise to keep looking out for me. Every minute of the day and night. My protector, My Love'_

Lucy started walking down the long, newly paved streets watching people walk by peacefully. People were still repairing the town but it was getting more lively by the day. It was almost as if the incident never happened. Lucy closed her eyes and stood in the middle of the streets.

 _'I'll never forget...not ever'_ she thought. She looked up towards the sky, seeing a small shimmer from a lonely star, _'I'll never stop thinking about you Natsu. I promise to you and our child. I'll tell them everything'_

Lucy smiled as the warm breeze picked up her hair again and started walking down the road.


	28. Epilogue - I'll Never Forget

_... **Epilogue...**_

 _'It's been another seven years, Mom, Natsu, and i can proudly say, i couldn't be any happier'_

Lucy walked down the sidewalk with a smiling girl holding her hand. Her bright brown eyes and short pink-hair bounced with every step.

"We're going to visit daddy today?" the girl beamed.

"Yeah, every last day of the summer, Nashi"

' _It's been a long seven years without you both. Sometimes i found it so hard to move on but...'_

"Is grandpa going to be coming too, Mommy?" she started to skip ahead holding a basket of pink flowers. Lucy smiled at her warmly.

' _Every time i looked at her, i was reminded of why i kept on going. I live for her, i live for us, Natsu, mom'_

"Grandpa is quite busy today. Maybe next time?" Lucy watched as the little girl jumped up the stairs, "Be careful!"

' _It was a little over the first year when i found my father. He was so far from home, i almost couldn't believe it. He changed so much from the last time i saw him. When father saw me with a baby in my hands, he cried. He cried for me and welcomed me back so quickly. My family was starting to grow again...'_

Lucy and Nashi walked up the hill towards an open field. The celestial mage tucked her hair behind her ear and watched as Nashi ran towards the large angel statue and there was a black one behind it.

"You shouldn't run so far from me, missy" the small girl squealed and placed flowers in front of both graves.

"I miss them though, Mommy" she stood up and Lucy kneeled down next to her.

"I miss them too. I miss them very much" Lucy's eye glistened with a faint tear before her gaze went to the black angel statue. Her chest tightened and she closed her eyes.

 _'I guess i should be thankful. He left me a family after all. I just wish...'_

"Mommy, what does daddy like to do?" her brown eyes twinkled up to Lucy. The celestial mage grimaced and placed a hand onto her bright pink hair.

"Daddy liked to cook for mommy" Lucy tilted her head down to her and smiled.

"What kind of cooking?" Nashi sat down and started to dig in her small bag.

"He liked to cook spicy foods for one thing" her brows furrowed and looked back towards the statue, "I made a mistake once eating from his plate"

 _'I just wish that maybe i could've heard the words. Just once.'_

Lucy stood up and walked towards the black angel. Nashi started to scribble onto a small notepad, not noticing her mother. Lucy placed her hand onto the small letters etched on the plaque.

 **Natsu Dragneel, A father and Hero, May he Rest in Peace.**

 _'I don't know if he ever said the words but, from what he's given me 'til his last breath, i wouldn't need to hear it. I felt it. I know i did...It just would've been nice..'_

Lucy placed both of her hands onto the statue and silently cried. Nashi looked up and walked to her mother slowly.

"Mommy, why are you crying? Daddy is here" Lucy wiped the tears away and kneeled down.

"I know he is, He's always here" Lucy placed a hand on the small girl and held her close.

"Daddy wants you to smile. You promised" The pink haired girl looked up to her mom and placed a hand onto her cheek. She wiped the small tears away and Lucy smiled faintly.

"I know i did, Nashi. I just miss him" Lucy looked back towards the statue and closed her eyes.

 _'Let me start over, I'm Lucy Dragneel and this is my daughter, Nashi Dragneel and this is my story...'_

Nashi moved away from her mom slightly and showed her mother the drawing she made. Lucy's eyes widened and sat down slowly.

"Nashi...how.."

"Daddy is always here!" the girl beamed. Lucy looked around and then back to her daughter. Confused but she wasn't going to question it.

"I guess so. Did you finish what you've wanted to do, dear?" Lucy placed the drawing down on the black gravestone. The small girl ran over towards the side of the statue and smiled upwards. Lucy watched her carefully, wondering what she was looking at. Nashi waved her mother over and Lucy followed.

"Daddy wanted to say hi to you mommy" the girl points across to the open hill side. Lucy squinted her eyes and saw nothing but, for the girl's entertainment, Lucy waved.

' _With all of the things he's given me and promised, i decided to use the one thing he also left me. His family, our family. The Dragneel family. My father didn't seem to mind in the slightest, actually he supported it. Told me to do what ever it was to be happy. He never wanted me to lose my smile either...'_

Nashi moved away and picked up her bag, "Are we really heading to Magnolia, Mommy? I really want to see Fairy Tail!" she smiled excitedly.

Lucy nodded, "Yeah i promised a lot of people I'd be back. I think i took a little too long, huh?" she said more-so to herself. Lucy looked back down towards the drawing and picked it up. It was a picture of her, Nashi and Natsu. However, she wouldn't have minded the drawing as much if it wasn't for the fact Natsu looked...

"Mommy, let's go! The train is leaving soon!" she grabbed her mother's hands gently and tugged her along. From the corner of Lucy's eye, something pink flashed across. She flickered her eyes around curiously. In the far distance she saw something fading away. Lucy looked back down towards the drawing and folded it carefully.

 _'I guess i can never get over the fact he's gone. That bright smile, that warmth. The love he's given me. I wanted it all back but, would i trade this for him?'_

Lucy started walking as the small girl pulled her along. The sun was starting to set again and the blonde mage was heading back to her previous home, to Magnolia. Lucy tilted her head up slightly and stopped.

 _'No. I wouldn't think of it. This girl is the most precious person i could ever wish for now. The one thing in this world that keeps me going...'_

Lucy's eyes locked on the pink-haired boy in the distance that stood on top of the hill. He was smiling down at her with the softest gaze she could ever imagine.

 _ **'Smile for me'**_

The celestial mage suddenly felt her lips twitch upwards and smiled the brightest smile she could ever pull. Her eyes glistened under the red sunlight. The pink-haired boy bowed and slowly faded into the air.

"Mommy? Did you see something?" Nashi looked up curiously and Lucy looked down.

"Daddy was just saying his goodbyes" the blonde pulled the little girl up into her arms and started walking down the stairs, "He was saying good bye to you too" Nashi smiled brightly and hugged her mother tightly.

"I told you so" the girl spoke proudly.

 _'The world could have been a better place, it also couldn't have been. So many things to do, so many choices. No one knows which choice will lead where. I made my choice long ago, the moment i first met him. I've never regretted it. The pain and tears we shared as well as the smiles and laughs. Everything. I wouldn't have it any other way._

* * *

Lucy carried Nashi in her arms gently as she slept peacefully. The celestial mage looked up at the tall, beautiful building in front of her.

"Psst, Wake up" Lucy whispered to the girl. The pink-haired girl looked up towards the large building. It had flags centered on the top and two smaller flags waving in the night sky. The building was extraordinarily bigger than before and yet, it still felt like home.

"woow" the girl said in awe.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail, Nashi" Lucy kissed her cheek and walked into the large doors. All eyes fell on them as Lucy placed the girl down.

"Welcome back, Lucy" Gray was the first to greet her.

Everyone else ran to them, smiling and cheering at their arrival after so long. Nashi laughed brightly and it caught the ice mage's attention.

"She would take after that pink menace" he said as he kneeled down.

Nashi shined her bright brown eyes at the man, "Droopy-eyes!" the girl giggled. Gray frowned. Lucy laughed at the small exchange.

"Great, im the droopy-eyed godfather." he grumbled as he suddenly was hugged by the little girl.

"Be a real man and show her around, Gray!" Elfman shouted. Evergreen nodded towards Lucy and she waved to her.

Juvia walked to them with a smaller kid beside her, "Gray-Sama, are you going to introduce us?" the little boy clung behind his mother and Lucy kneeled down to him.

"What's his name" Lucy held out her hand and Gray smiled as he hugged Nashi.

"Storm" the boy spoke quietly.

Lucy's eyes widened, "I'm Lucy. Pleasure to meet you"

Juvia laughed, "We've already nominated you to be his godmother. Everyone fought over it but we thought it would only be fair"

Lucy stood up slightly shocked, "Am i really?" She watched as Nashi pulled at Gray's dark spiky hair.

"Oi! stop that!" he said playfully. The little girl continued to laugh and yank.

"She really likes you, Gray" Lucy smiled brightly.

"...and about that. Yeah, I'm serious. I can't imagine it any other way" he placed Nashi down and Lucy hugged Gray gently.

"Thank you" Lucy smiled and moved away towards the bar. Gray held onto Nashi's hand and started showing her around the guild.

"Mira!" Lucy called over to the white haired woman. Her bright blue eyes shined and suddenly Wendy runs out from the back.

"Lucy!" She jumped towards the blonde.

Wendy almost knocked her over with a tight hug, "I missed you! How's everything?" Lucy's jaw dropped as she looked at how much Wendy has grown.

"Everything is amazing actually. I couldn't be happier. I met with my father and I have Nashi" looking over towards the small group in the corner. Storm and Nashi seemed to get along already.

"She's so cute! Her hair..." Wendy held a hand to her mouth in shock.

"Yeah i know. Just like his" Lucy smiled and looked at Mira who was already all teary eyed, "Mira..?" Lucy was a little startled.

Mira ran over to Lucy and gave her a tight hug, "I was so worried about you. About time you got here! Even Laxus was getting a little worried. Wondering where the small blonde and baby was"

Lucy looked towards Wendy curiously, "Was he really?"

Wendy smiled, "He was. Actually he only started to worry because he found something for you"

Lucy looked up to Mira confused, "Found something?"

Mira pulled Lucy up the stairs and towards the guild masters office. When they arrived they saw Laxus talking to someone in the lacrima orb and he turned to look at them.

"I'll see you later" he said quickly and walked towards them, "About time, Blondie" he spoke while folding his arms, "Was about to send a search party for you. Seven years? What happened to ' _soon_ '?"

Lucy grimaced and placed a hand behind her head. Gray walked in and Nashi ran towards her mother.

"I have to head home, Lucy. I'll catch you later?" Gray said while smiling.

Lucy waved towards him, "Thanks for looking out for her" Gray nodded and walked away.

"So this is her?" Laxus kneeled down, "That hair..." his eyes narrowed.

"Yup" Lucy smiled, "Everyone always notices that first"

"And her eyes..." Lucy's face tinted pink.

"That's the first time i'm hearing it.."

Mira laughed and walked to her side, "Laxus, That thing..."

Laxus looked up and nodded, "Yeah"

Laxus pulled up a small black box from the desk drawer and handed it to Lucy. She looked at it curiously. When she slowly opened it, her heart stopped.

"...What is this?"

Mira looked at Lucy and hugged her gently, " _He_ was suppose to give it to you awhile ago it seems. We only found it recently in between the previous guild masters belongings"

Laxus sighed and sat back down, "That idiot never had good timing" he said quietly.

Lucy's fingers brushed over the bright amber stone, looking almost like flames swirling inside of it. The stone was held by a ring that was dark gold, with pieces of rubies attached around it beautifully. A tear fell down her face and she sat down. Nashi moved onto her mother's lap and looked at the box.

"So pretty. Who gave that to you mommy?" the pink haired girl asked curiously.

"Your father did" she whispered. More tears fell as she closed the box, "When did he have the time to get this?" she whispered quietly as she gently brushed Nashi's hair with her fingers.

"The day you went to the beach, i saw him talking to the guild master before you guys left. I was wondering what he gave him, but i never realized..." Mira's gaze fell.

"Things happened" Laxus finished. He pulled out a small piece of paper and handed it to Lucy before he walked out of the room, "That was inside of the box. Hopefully that'll give you some peace of mind"

Mira and Laxus walked out of the room and Lucy looked at the small folded piece of paper.

"What's it say mommy?" Nashi spoke quietly while she played with the small black box.

Lucy unfolded the piece of paper and read it.

' _I honestly don't know how to say this. I never thought i could so I'll just say it here. I know you've said it once, twice, a few times but I've never said it until now._

 _You mean the whole world to me, I want to protect that smile, that laugh, everything. You mean so much more than anything i could ever say,_

 _Lucy Heartfilla,  
_

 _I love you, Will you marry me?_

Lucy folded the note and closed her eyes. Silent tears fell down and Nashi looked at her. She sat up on her mother's lap and wiped her tears away.

"Mommy, You promised to stop crying. You'll make me cry too!" the girl mumbled, "Smile!" the girl held her mother's face between her hands.

Lucy looked at her daughter and smiled, "I promise, it'll be the last time i cry. Let mommy cry just this once, please?"

Nashi thought for a moment and then nodded. She buried her head under Lucy's chin and hugged her tightly as she listened to her mother cry.

' _I never asked for anything much in life but, I'm happy now. I know i am. I feel it through my heart, the last words from him. The words i longed to hear from him after so long, I love you too._

 **'Smile'**

 _I'll continue to smile for Nashi, mom and most of all, for you, Natsu. I'll always remember you because for not one second will i stop thinking about you.'_

 _..._

 _ **'This was Her END, Her Etherious Natsu Dragneel'** _

* * *

**AN:** So...what'd you guys think? Was it too much? Too sad? A good ending? bad ending? idk. Like I've said before, I've pictured this story at its end before it even started and wrote everything out that led up to it. I didn't originally plan for an epilogue, but i figure it'd the story a better 'closed' feeling to it.

Normally, i hate when i see these kind of endings, but i couldn't have pictured it any other way so...i cry every time.

 **XD** _**FORGIVE MEEEE!**_

 _ **...**_

 _ **I can't express how thankful i am to you guys,**_

 _ **For making it this far...for all the continued support for this story, It really was such an amazing experience too and to finally complete my first story ever.**_

 _ **Hugs and claps for everyone, you all deserve it! \\(^.^)/**_

 _ **I really hope you guys have enjoyed this story.**_

 _ **and i hope to see you all again in the future, take care! :3**_

- **Sincerely** , RosarioSecrets

 **And I'd like to post here a special thanks to all my reviewers, all bringing me smiles with your continuous support and feedback;**

 **Thank you all: Meira, Abdltf, ManderNaner, Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, Wandering-Reader, Nalulover16, fafou14, FavoredLuna44, Mspolkadot345, Leahcar-Soutaichou, Taliatales and to all my guests/future reviewers (;^;)/  
**


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